Follow Me Through the Glass of Time
by Nuttycheychey
Summary: Sequal to Follow Me Up. Just remember, "be careful who you bargain with and who you trust!" A little too late for that! Please read and review! Complete!
1. Report

September 8, 2011

5:33 p.m.

Logan, Utah

Dr. Leonard

First victim is female, approximately five feet and nine inches tall, looks to be a little less than one hundred twenty pounds, hazel eyes, dark red hair, well defined leg and upper arm muscles, second degree burn scars on hands, arms, and legs, hands are dotted with red-orange spots, small linear scars mostly on left hand but also a few on right hand, calluses on hands and feet, faint pink shadows around eyes, Victim has a small tattoo on the inner part of her upper arm that is currently indecipherable and another on left calf that says, "U.U.R.O." And scarlet letter Ts on left hand and lower back. Scars that appear to have been made by a whip on back, upper part of anus, and about five on the backs of her thighs.

Cause of death appears to be a bullet wound in the left ovary area.

X-rays have revealed the left humus to be hair line cracked, at least two ribs have been broken, bruising taking place almost immediately, and calcium deposits on legs suggesting they have been broken, bruises decorate her legs.

Second victim is remarkably tall, approximately seven feet tall, over one hundred fifty pounds, one dark blue eye, black hair, chest and arm muscles especially are well defined. Face has a scar running down the left side, scars on arms and chest area. Hands are slightly warn and calloused. Teeth are ground down to a very sensitive and painful point.

Death appears to be a bullet in heart.

X-rays show slight bruising on body particularly the upper part of his body, showing signs of struggle.

Bullets as well as Tissue and Blood samples will be prepared to send to lab.


	2. Goodbyes

Alice-

Silently we all said our goodbyes to Johanna. Neither of us had the heart to bury her, but it just wouldn't do to keep her body out in the open where buzzards and thieves would have access to her body. So instead Tarrant and Alick had set her body in the river that flowed nearby. None of her possessions were removed other than the necklace she wore around her neck, a small emerald stone.

Tarrant and Alick were completely silent; they didn't make a sound as we returned to the camp and the looking glass.

It was empty and rather foreboding.

"It was all an illusion. The guards weren't really here; it was another element from Dominion over Living Things." Was the only thing Alick had said as we passed through the empty camp.

At the far South side was Henry he stood by his horses, "Where's Johanna?" He asked concerned.

"Fallen in action." Tarrant said simply, a choking sound coming from his throat. I grabbed his hand and intertwined our fingers; he gave me a gentle squeeze. Henry was silent.

"Where are the others?" I spoke up.

"We went in to find you, you weren't there so they went through the looking glass and…I just can't believe it! My son was working for them! A spy, I don't understand! I'm so sorry Alice and Tarrant! I don't know why he would do something like that!" Henry said kicking at the ground beneath us.

"Where is he now?" I asked.

"Gone, likely ran as soon as he learned the Red Queen was missing."

"I am sorry Henry, we must return to Underland, but I do hope we shall see you again. Goodbye big brother." I stood on my tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"Goodbye little sister." He said and gave me a tight hug, "And good luck." And with that we returned to the looking glass.

Sadly, this was not the end of any of our adventures.


	3. Where am I?

Johanna-

It was peaceful. Perhaps too peaceful. Where am I any ways? Where are every one? What am I doing in this field of grass? Why is the sky so bright? Why don't I hear voices?

"Why do you have to ask so many questions?" Asked a soft voice from behind me. I stood up and turned, no one was there.

"Well I have two more for you, who are you and where are you?" I asked looking around.

"I am everywhere and nowhere. I decide whether you live or die. I can change the fates. I can protect or abandon you. What am I?"

"The first two sound like air. The third sounds like free will. But the third sounds like a friend. Care to give me another clue?" I asked circling around the clearing.

"I am indeed a friend, I am affected by your free will, but I am not air" The voice came again.

"A guardian are you then?" I asked standing still.

"A yes, very clever." The voice said please, "The one to guess closest first! In truth," A man began to form in front of me. His hair was literally a sun gold, his eyes shined like mother of pearl, and his skin was pale as a cloud, his robes were a shining sky blue, and his voice sounded like chimes, "I am a guardian angel." he walked slowly until he was face to face to me, and boy was he tall! Talk about a look up look down relationship!

"What's going on then? How did I get here? The last thing I remember was looking at Alick, what am I doing here now? Why am I here?" The angel laughed at me.

"Give me a chance to answer. First of all, you died back on Earth. Secondly, you have been sent here because you died at the wrong time and in the wrong place! I am here to straighten things out. You have two choices. One you can stay with me and your dead family, keep in mind that you'll never be able to return to your body however. Second you can choose to return to your body and continue the rest of the journey with your brother and friends until your right time." I weighed this information carefully in my mind.

"Do I have to choose now? What about the enchantment that grandfather placed on us?"

"You don't have to choose now, but you might want to see your family again soon. As for the enchantment, your body will be perfectly preserved until your brother dies and yes, your death can be reversed if the way you died is reversed. You will not be fully dead until your brother dies as well."

"Am I allowed to wait for Tarrant, Alice, and Alick make it back to Underland and then decide?" The angel nodded.

"But of course, you are not going to be pressured. But for now you might wish to watch them." The angel waved his hand, a pool of water appeared in front of me, I gave a small gasp of surprise and jumped back a little. "This pool will allow you to watch them and every move they make. What is your choice?"

I thought silently for a few minutes, "I think I'll stick around. Just until I know whether they need me or not."


	4. 21st Century

Alice-

We stumbled through the looking glass. The sensation was not unlike falling through the rabbit hole but there were fewer items in the way. The looking-glass tunnel spit us out with the force of a geyser into a cold and shallow river.

"I hate it when the looking-glass decides to be fickle with its travelers!" Tarrant mumbled as he stood. "Now we're soaked and we have no idea where we are because this sure as hell doesn't look like Underland!"

Alick stood up and looked at our surroundings as Tarrant helped me stand.

"I think the looking-glass played around with us. I recognize this place; it's just a few yards from where we left Johanna!" Alick said with remorse. Tarrant was silent, the shock of those events were still fresh in his mind.

I decided to take in the area around us. The forest looked thinner and the river was dirtier. Off in the distance red and blue lights were flashing, I could see them so well because the sun was just about to set. "Let's go over there and see what those lights are!" I said as I made my way over to the banks, Tarrant and Alick followed right behind me.

We walked over where the lights were and saw the strangest thing. Strange vehicles, with gas lamp lights on the tops, and men dressed in either blue or black.

"Let's hurry up; I don't want to be here all night! Sanders dust for finger prints! Where is the coroner? We have two bodies here that need to be taken back to the coroners' office!" A woman was shouting.

"Two bodies?" Tarrant asked with panic. We made our way out of the cover of the trees and came closer, yellow tape around the area forbid us from going much closer however.

"Excuse me ma'am, can you please tell us what's going on?" I asked the woman who was shouting.

"Murder, it could be possible homicide. You kids better head home and let us take care of this."

"In truth, we don't know where we are. We just got here, perhaps you could tell us the date and our location please?" I said cautiously.

"It's September 8, 2011. You're in Logan Utah." She said eyeing us suspiciously.

I turned around to face Tarrant and Alick, "Did you hear that? We've been sent 200 years into the future!" I whispered to them, there faces were frozen in shock, but not for long.

"Go on get out of here you three we've got work to do!" A young man shouted at us.

"Let's go!" Tarrant said. We had to practically drag Alick away. But as we left, I happened to see one of the bodies, a young female with white skin and orange-red hair.

It was Johanna.

But how did her body survive?


	5. The Deal

**AN: Hey guys! I'm back! I do hope you are enjoying this story so far. Please keep in mind this chapter will get a little graphic. But until then, enjoy!**

**Tarrant-**

It didn't take long for us to finally reach civilization. Shining carriages were allover this strange and foreign black road, several times while attempting to cross we'd nearly been hit. The people were dressed in strange clothing, many of which we most certainly not proper, and sadly most of them didn't wear one decent hat! I noticed that as we walked down this gray-cream walkway many of these people were staring at us, a most rude thing but I must admit we _must_ have looked strange to them if they did so to us!

After all, I was still dressed in the clothes that Henry had given me, sans hat as Chess still had it, I was also covered in dirt and blood from the guards, the snake, Stayne, and my sister's blood from when I'd tried to help stop the bleeding and from carrying her and setting her down in the river. But luckily for all of us the blood was either covered or blended in with the dust and dirt that covered us.

Alice's wedding like gown of black, white, and red was still on her person but in between everything she's endured she's torn the dress to make it easier to travel and had abandoned her shoes in the desert. Johanna's blood was on a small bit of the hem and the sleeves that came down to her elbow. He hair was a tangled, yet lovely, mess.

Alick may have been the worst off of the three of us. He was covered in dirt, mud, his own dried blood from wounds before Alice had first me him and the blood of Johanna. He had been stripped of all of his clothing but his pants which now hung loosely and were tied by a simple cord. His hair was beginning to tease his shoulders and he was (finally!) growing a beard (although it was a little more than stubble right now). He was practically running around half naked like a caveman!

Several people on the streets stopped what they were doing and stared at us. One child was tugging on his mother's skirt and pointing at us. We did our best to look as natural as possible but apparently that wasn't enough. A man dressed all in blue with a (hideous, ugly, but rather unusual) hat, gold badge, and black belt containing miscellaneous items walked over to us.

"Excuse me sir." He began when he stopped in front of us, "But I'm going to have to ask you to obey the laws and put on a shirt and some shoes." He said pointing at Alick.

Should we tell him the truth? He'd never believe us! To the people of Alice's world time travel was impossible! Luckily Alick was thinking the same and spoke aloud.

"Mae'n ddrwg gen i syr, ond dydw i ddim yn deall chi. Rwy'n foreigner ymweld o Ewrop."

The man looked confused at each of us. "Do any of you speak English.

"Non, fala Outlandish? Ou quizais como Alicia a chama, galego, amable señor?" I slipped in a fluent Outlandish burr.

"Excuse me miss, but do you know what they are saying? I can't seem to think of what they are saying!" The stranger exclaimed. I opened my mouth to reply for her, I didn't know if she knew the plan, or if she even spoke in another tongue. But I was surprised when she spoke instead of me.

"Je crains que non monsieur, nous sommes venus d'Europe et aucun de nous ne comprenons eachother lorsque nous parlons dans notre langue maternelle, mais peut-être Tarrant et Alick se comprendre mutuellement, mais je n'aime pas." She said giving a small curtsy.

The man looked confused the walked away, mumbling something about foreigners not bothering to learn English when they visit America.

When he was out of earshot we returned to walking. I placed an arm around Alice's shoulders (something that would have been scandalous back in her time) and leaned in close and whispered in her lovely ear, "I didn't know you could speak in tongues!" She giggled slightly and whispered back.

"There is a lot you don't know about me Hatter, and being bilingual is one of them." She said and winked to me as we walked down the street.

**Johanna-**

I peered into water the confused, "What just happened? I can't see them!" the angel came up behind me and looked into the pool.

"Oh, of course! The looking-glasses in Alice's world are still broken, they are traveling through time again! 200 years this time if I'm correct!" He said unconcerned.

"What?" I screamed, I looked at him in anger. I jumped at him and tackled him to the ground, my hands were clenched around his throat, my knees pinned his arms down and I sat on his chest. "What the hell does that mean? What's going to happen to them? Are you saying Tarrant now has twenty hours to return to Underland?" My grip on his throat tightened.

"No, not at all!" He rasped. "Please let me explain!" I tightened my grip again and seethed.

"You have thirty seconds!"

"You see the legend is fake! Alick Calder survived over a year in Overland!" He choked out.

"The what of the White Prince? He died when his protective magic ran out!" I asked angry, still a little confused, but very angry. "You better not try lying to me!"

"I'm not! Charles Kingsley, or as you have always known him, the White Prince, died of somewhat natural causes! The Prince was a user of tobacco and a light drinker, he died of causes that will be known as lung cancer and liver cancer! The tobacco caused his lungs to slowly rot away and make it near impossible for him to breath, and the alcohol did the same to his liver causing…"

"The liver to become poisoned and because the liver is responsible for detoxification, producing hormones, and several other important things, the White Prince practically killed himself." I said staring off into space, my grip on the angel's throat disappeared and I leaned back, my knees coming off of his arms.

Before I could even register what had happened I found myself pinned beneath the Angel. I looked up at him shocked and delirious.

"What are you…" I said weakly, attempting to free myself but to no avail.

"I want your answer Johanna Greer Hightopp, Daughter of Elspeth and Ian Hightopp, and I want it now! Where as it has been merely minutes in for us it has been almost two hundred years for the others! Give me your answer but keep in mind, they will fail with or without you!" He hissed in my ear.

"They will! They will make it back to Underland alive and together you'll see!" I spat.

"Well then how's this, a deal. If your family and friends cannot make it back to Underland before the twelfth full moon rises, you must all surrender to me! If you do happen to make it."

"When, you mean!" he sighed but continued.

"I shall free not only you, but your clan and shall make sure that I not touch any one of you until you are ready to go. Do we have an accord?" I thought over it for a minute. And nodded my head.

"But just one question before my full consent." He nodded his head, "What do you mean, I shall free you? Last I checked I don't belong to anyone but myself!"

He laughed, of all the nerve in the world he actually laughed at me!

"I realize that you innocently think this but, as you have been placed under my care as a Guardian Angel, if you die before marriage, then you belong to me by all right, and yes I know of your love for Alick Calder but it holds no value or meaning now. After all, even if you were married the vows do clearly state, 'Till death do you part'." he clarified.

"Very well then. I agree, so long as you uphold your end of the bargain." I said doing my best to hide my emotions. He nodded his head from above me.

"Just one more thing." he murmured and bent down. My breath hitched and stopped. "You have such…pale skin." he said and bit me.

I gave a loud cry and tried to push him off of me. It was no use he felt like he weighed a ton. His teeth dug into my flesh and blood trickled down the side of my neck, sharp pains traveled up and down my body.

"What are you doing to me?" I cried, tears flooding from my eyes and flowing down my cheeks.

"Sealing the deal." He whispered.


	6. Chevalier De l'Etoile

**AN: Hey, did you guys know that if you review (whether you are a member or not) you help move this story along and make it go faster? So far this story has recieved only one review! :(**

**Dr. Leonard-**

"Well Johnny, what do you think about these bodies? Any ideas what happened before take out the bullets and prepare to cut open the bodies?" I asked my assistant.

Jonathon shook his head looking sick. "No ideas yet sir."

"Surely you must have at least one theory?" He paused for a moment.

"Well, I guess I've been reading too many books but. The man lures the woman out for a meeting, woman comes. Man is after something, kills woman when she fights him. Man drops the gun, girl manages to grab the gun, shoots the man in the chest." He shrugged.

"Very good, but several extreme errors. They said there was no gun at the scene. And how would the woman have ended up in the river? Plus the man would have been walking away, how could she have shot him in the chest?" I pointed out. Johnny shrugged.

"It was just a theory!" he defended.

**Stayne-**

"Where am I?" I asked aloud. The sky was a silver mist with red clouds. Small red specs of grass dotted the black dirt. "What is this hell hole?" I asked circling around.

"I'd call it more of a prison!" A voice seethed; poison practically dripping from its lips. I circled around, no one was around.

"Who's there?" I shouted. No one answered. "Tell me now! Who's there?" this time I screamed.

"Your worst nightmare, yet your greatest ally!" I turned behind me. There was a man dressed all in black, his fingernails were red and his hair was the same silver mist as the sky, his skin, if at all possible, was paler and whiter than the Hightopps. He possessed black lips around eyes, his ears were pointed and his nose was long, sharp teeth protruded from his mouth and black saliva drooled from his lips, but his eyes were the most unusual thing, they were mother of pearl and had no real solid color!

"Who the hell are you?" I said standing in a defensive position.

"Calm yourself, my name is Chevalier De l'Etoile, a former Guardian of Underland."

"Former? Might I ask why exactly?" He smiled and more black drool coming from his mouth and hitting the dust, smoke arose from where it landed and left visible dents in the ground as if a potent acid had been spilled, the smell of eighty thousand rotting corpses emanating from his breath.

"The Red Queen was dethroned by that damned Alice, Queen of Blue and daughter of the White Prince! She killed my precious pet the Jabberwocky!" The former Guardian spat at the ground, a large chunk of the ground disappeared as it barely touched it.

"So you're how Iracebeth got the Jabberwock!" I said coolly, he chuckled darkly.

"Yes, she came to me and promised me all the rarest souls in her kingdom that I chose in exchange for the use of one of my greatest creatures to take over the throne! And then that little princess comes a long and slays it with the aid of my brother and my father!" He said full of spite.

"So who are your brother and uncle?"

"My brother is named Abdulkareem he is the current guardian of Underland, and as for my Uncle? My uncle is named Ashair, also known as Time!" Now that was a shocker!

"Lord Time? Truly?" he nodded.

"But forget that, I am here to make you an offer. I am building my own world, but I find it necessary that I have a right hand man who can deliver swift justice to any and all souls who disobey me. I will allow you to return to your body in a few minutes, nearly 200 years on Earth, until then your body shall not rot or decay and shall still look the same as the day you were unjustly murdered by that little whore the Queen of Blue! All I ask is that you kill off the last two Hightopps, your damn cousin, and the Blue Queen! What do you say?" I smirked and crossed my arms.

"I say, tell me more!"

**Alice-**

Rain had started drizzling down on us almost and hour ago, in a hurry to get out of the rain we ran into a nearby ally with an awning. Tarrant sat to my right, one leg lying down and the other propped up with this arm resting on it and the other keeping his balance. Alick stood on my left, one arm resting against the building as he leaned on it, his back facing me.

As the rain fell Tarrant began to slowly drift off to sleep. He snored softly as he slumped further in his sitting position. I decided to take this chance to look him over. His hair looked about three inches longer and stubble was gracing his chin and upper lip mostly but there was some on his cheeks and neck as well. His once pink shadows were now black from worry and lack of sleep, his white skin was a pale pink with a grayish hue that worried me. He looked like this world was making him sick! He was born and raised in a world with no factories and where everything was hand made, the smoke from the English air was already making him feel ill, but this air was so much worse and it was really making him sick!

I stared at Alick and found to my surprise he sounded like he was sniffling.

"Alick?" I said reaching for him.

"Yeah?" He asked not looking at me.

"Are you alright?" He repeated his earlier statement. "Are you sure Alick? You sound like you're crying." He didn't say anything. I stood and walked up to him. I touched his shoulder and turned him around he looked down slightly ashamed as tears were streaming slowly from his eyes. "Care to tell me Alick?" I smiled gently.

"Why the heck not?" he sighed. "I just can't believe that after so many years of hoping that she was alive, I've completely lost her only after I found her. Loosing my freedom I could handle, I was prepared for that. Loosing my clan was still a shock but I had been trained to know that one day I would likely loose them. But Johanna, who'd I'd thought dead for so long, to have her not only die so soon, but in my arms too, was…maddening!" he chocked out, more tears coming to his eyes.

"Oh Alick!" I hugged him tightly and he didn't refuse the comfort, he hugged me back fiercely. He cried into my shoulder for a good few minutes until finally the tears subsided.

"I'm so sorry Alice, I don't normally cry and now I've ruined your dress. I'm very sorry!" He said still sniffling.

"It's alright Alick, we all cry and need comfort sometimes. We'll all be home soon."

"I hope so Alice! I really do hope so!"

**AN: Okay, so should I just delete this story and add it to Follow Me Up instead? Because I was really looking foreward to doing a series kind of thing. Please let me know ina review but if this thing doesn't get popular enough I may have to delete these stories if enough people don't like them so please review! Also I am working on For Family but it will take a little longer than hoped but do expect a few delays on it!**


	7. Bring Me To Life

Johanna-

I moaned in pain as the angel finished lapping at the blood exiting the wound on my neck. Rather funny that I could bleed considering I was dead, then again I've learned in my twenty eight years that nothing is as it seems. I was very lightheaded and tired by the time he was finished and pulled away.

"How are you feeling my dear?" he whispered in my ear.

"Sick," I moaned again. "Why did you have to do that?"

"I sealed our deal. If you and your friends fail, you're mine remember?" I sighed and weakly tried to push him off of me.

"Get off." I mumbled though it sounded more like a low moan than actual words.

He chuckled in an almost evil manner, "That won't work my dear. Just relax and wait, trust me." What good he expected that to do I have no idea, but it just made me try and struggle harder. "Shh, just sleep." He said and even though it was against my will, my body started to shut down.

Alice-

I'd fallen asleep leaning against Tarrant some time ago. Alick sat on my other side his head leaning back against the wall and snoring rather loudly.

A soft nudging against my foot woke me up.

"Excuse me miss?" I swatted at who ever it was and moved closer to Tarrant. "Miss I need you to wake up, I'm Officer Nel Pomace, we met earlier yesterday by the river. I need to ask you and your friends some questions."

"Va-t'en, je ne veux pas vous parler, je veux juste dormir!" I said in French hoping to get rid of the intruder.

"Je sais que vous voulez dormir Je comprends que vous ratez probablement eu une fin de nuit, mais j'ai besoin de parler avec les trois ofyou hier. Et avant que vous demandez, oui je parle couramment le français ainsi qu'en espagnol afin qu'aucun de vous ne peut me tromper. Je sais que vous parlez anglais!" She said to my shock.

"What?" I gasped fully awake now.

"Good, now I have your full attention. Would you mind waking your companions and coming to my car with me? I need to take you in for interrogation and I'd much rather do it with your consent then have to get a warrant as that could take months." She said and started walking away.

I gently shook Tarrant and Alick awake and explained to them what was going on. Reluctantly we all stood.

"Should we listen to her and go?" I asked running my hands up my arms to warm up against the chill of the rain. Tarrant came up behind me and rubbed my arms, when that didn't help, her pulled me against his chest to help warm me up. "Thank you Hatter." I smiled at him and he returned it sadly.

"I'm afraid we don't have a choice. Running will only make us fugitives and get us in worse trouble than we are already in."

"And besides," Alick added, "she said she would get a warrant."

"Warrant?" I asked looking at him curiously. After all I'd never heard of such a word.

"A piece of government paper giving permission for a soldier or someone near that rank to search a home for a specific item or to arrest a person, or to search private property for a certain item. But the paper must state exactly what you are looking for and why the person is being arrested." Alick said seeming to repeat it by memory.

"How do you know that?"

"His father was the White Knight, Alice. Our world runs mainly around family traditions. My father was a Hatter, so was his father and his father before him. Knights are required to learn not only how to fight, but also learn basic law. White Knights are the Queens's main guards, right hand men, and advisors. They need to learn more depth into the law." Tarrant explained still hugging me to him. I nodded in understanding.

"Then I guess we really don't have any choice!"

So we followed her.

Dr. Leonard-

Alright Johnny, you take our young John Doe and I'll take our little Jane Doe." I instructed As we readied to remove the bullets from the victims and open them up.

Jonathan got right to work removing the bullet as did I. A few minutes later I heard Johnny talking in a panicked voice.

"Dr. Leonard, I have a problem here! This body is bleeding!"

"What?" I shouted and made my way over. Sure enough blood was coming from the wound in his heart. "Okay, I need you to quickly sew that up!" I applied pressure to the wound with a towel rag for when Johnny was finished while he left. He returned and started sewing the wound closed.

"Dr. Leonard, the Jane Doe is bleeding too!" He said looking up. I ran over to the body. I grabbed a needle and thread near by and began to sew the wound at her abdomen.

A sharp gasp rang through the air as I finished sewing the wound. I looked at the face of the Jane Doe and saw her eyes had brightened to an almost blinding grass green and her hair was a brighter red, her white skin however was still the same. She turned over on to her side and started coughing, mucus, blood, and water came out of her mouth.

"What the Hell?"


	8. Interogation and Awakening

**Tarrant-**

I hugged Alice closer to me as we sat in a small room waiting for the officer to question us. Alice looked at me nervously.

"Don't worry; just let Alick and I handle this." I said and kissed her temple, my lips lingered on her skin as she sighed in delight and nodded.

The officer that had escorted us here sat down in her chair across from us.

"Well, as you know I am Officer Pomace and I need to ask you a few questions concerning a currently being solved mystery. Now where were you on the days of June sixth, seventh, and eighth?" She questioned.

"The six and seventh we were in the Wasatch Mountains. We were coming back on the eighth." Alick answered.

"How many of you were up in the Mountains then?" She asked pulling something out of a light tan folder.

"Four. I mean three!" I managed to catch myself. Maybe it was best to only let Alick answer from now on.

"I see, well then do you think you could identify these two please?" She placed the thing she was pulling out of the folder onto the metal table. Two pictures of human bodies, one male, one female.

Johanna and the Knave.

Alick picked up the picture of Johanna and frowned.

"Por que a xente non poden simplemente deixar as cousas só?" Alick said angrily.

"What do you know of this Mr. …? Forgive me I never did ask for your names." The Officer said.

"Forgive us for not introducing ourselves. I am Alice Kingsley; this is Tarrant Hightopp, and our friend Alick Calder." Alice introduced us.

"Thank you miss Kingsley. Now Mr. Calder what do you know of this? Do you know the girl in that photo? Perhaps this man as well?" Alick was silent. "Please, any information you have could help us solve this mystery." The Officer pleaded.

"Tarrant, you tell her. I can't say it now." Alick frowned staring at the photo.

"Well you see," I started. "It started quiet a few years ago. This man," I pointed at Stayne's photo. "Is Alick's cousin. He and one of his friends have always had quiet a feud with Alick and our family. My family was betrayed and all but two of us were killed: Johanna and myself. On that same day Alick went missing. A few years later Alice and I were trying to live peacefully when Stayne attacked us and kidnapped Alice. We managed to follow them here and got the help of Henry and my Sister."

"So you caught him and he was killed in a cross fire or confrontation?" The Officer said indicating the photo of Stayne's dead body.

"Not quiet yet. Yes we caught him but Alice had escaped from him and was captured by his friend. The same one who had Alick." I swallowed at this part, the lump in my throat made this harder than it should be. "We managed to save the two of them, but we were then confronted by Stayne. Alick and Stayne got into a verbal fight, he had a gun and in want of revenge he shot Johanna. He tried to get away so I went after him. He had me pinned and would have killed me had Alice not have grabbed the gun I'd dropped by her and shot Stayne. We had no way to take Johanna back home to be buried so we were forced to lay her in the river." I wiped the tears away from my eyes and sniffed a little. Alice hugged me tightly to comfort me, I returned the hug and kissed her temple again.

"And you didn't report the deaths? You didn't report any of this?" The Officer looked at me furiously. I looked at the floor, suddenly finding the black floor very interesting.

"Yes, we are not used to relying on the government for help and it could have taken years for me to be found." Alice answered. For us.

Suddenly the door clicked open.

"Officer Pomace, the building is preparing for lock down. The two bodies that you are doing the investigation on woke up and now are missing and the coroners have been found unconscious! Your assistance is requested to aid in searching for the bodies and the people who took them." A young man said sticking his head in.

"What?" Officer Pomace screamed, standing from her seat. The man nodded and left to tell more people of this small dilemma. The officer made her way to the door but as she opened it Alick grabbed her arm.

"Please let us help, Tarrant and I know how Stayne and Johanna think. Johanna may have woken up but she wouldn't hurt your men she would ask before action unless attacked. Stayne is her enemy not you or your fellow officers. She's scared, if one of your men approaches her and she doesn't recognize them then she'll put up a fight against them injured or not! It will end with either one of your men or her dead if that does happen." Alick said. Alice and I stood waiting for her decision. She nodded once and ordered for us to follow but to stay close.

We wound around corridor after corridor until finally we found a large group of men pointing black guns all at two figures, one of which was holding the other around the neck.

Johanna and Stayne.

Alick and I picked up speed.

"Don't shoot, please don't!" Alick and I continually cried out as we made our way toward the two figures.

"Illosovic Stayne let go of my little sister!" I screamed as I ran at him.

"Forget it Hightopp!" He said and tightened his hold on her. A strangled gasp was forced from her lungs, her hands grabbed his tree trunk like arms and clawed and tugged at them. Alick and I stopped just short of him.

"Alick!" Johanna cried softly, tears falling from her eyes as Stayne tightened his hold on her. Alick growled and tried to get to her aid. I stuck out my arm and stopped him.

"Alick please channel your anger and control yourself!" I begged him. Reluctantly he stood back and glared daggers at his cousin.

"Stayne let go of Johanna in the name of Alice Queen of Blue!" Alice said. Uh oh. I had hoped she wouldn't realize or learn about that, it just made things harder and scarier.

Stayne laughed at her, "You have no throne yet! Your title has no meaning!" he laughed. As he was distracted Johanna opened her mouth and looked at me as if for permission. I nodded my head and she brought her teeth down on Stayne's flesh. His laughter turned into screams of pain as Johanna kept a tight hold on his arm and kept her teeth sunk into his skin. He tried to shake her off as she bit him, due to his efforts, and Johanna's surprisingly strong jaws, blood began to trickle from and down his arm.

Now was what we'd been waiting for. I ran forward and in his distraction I punched Stayne as hard as possible. Both of his arms let go of Johanna and she moved away from him. I tackled Stayne to the ground and knocked him unconscious.

Johanna swayed on her feet and Alick rushed forward and grabbed her.

"Johanna." He whispered as he hugged her tightly and kissed her face all over. Johanna hugged him back.

"Alick, o que está pasando? Eu me sinto moi feble e as miñas pernas están febles. Where am I? Estamos en casa baixo terra?" she asked looking faint. Alick gently set her down and fanned her with one hand and used the other to prop her up.

"Not yet Johanna, it will be a little longer before we return home, but I promise you we will." He said. I jumped off of Stayne as officers rushed forward and put his wrists in strange metal loop objects.

I kept back a bit, allowing her to breathe, Alice came forward and knelt to my left.

"Tarrant? Por que non mira máis como? Onde están Ma e Fa? Onde están os outros? O que está a suceder? Por que non podo entender Alick?" She asked dazed.

"She's likely lost a good portion of her memory. She's not speaking English! Johanna, podes probar falar en inglés? Vostede recorda de como falar inglés? dicir algunhas palabras!" She looked a little confused.

"My head feels light and, my neck really hurts!" She managed slowly. We all sighed in relief, at least she could speak English again.

Alick moved the bit of the blue paper like gown that covered her person and we were all shocked at the sight that greeted us. Human like teeth marks from a nasty looking bite graced her skin.

"Who the hell did this to you?" I asked touching the marks and was surprised to actually feel my eyes turning red after all they'd never done that here, things must have really been changing. Johanna cringed a little, I knew she was terrified of when this happened but I couldn't help it and she knew that.

"I…I…Don't know his name." She admitted.

"Describe him to me!" I demanded gently taking her shoulders

"I…I…" She paused for a long moment. "Angel." She said simply eyes looking askew, she was very confused and managing very few words with a fluent accent.

"What does that mean? Why did this 'Angel' do this?" I asked a little more forcefully.

"I'm his, unless…unless…" her eyes were closing, she was loosing consciousness.

"Johanna, please tell me! Unless what?" I asked urgently.

"Unless we…" Was all she could manage before fully loosing consciousness.

**AN: I guess I was a little mean in that last chapter. But I could really use some reviews please. that is if you even completed the first story! ^^; Just keep in mind, this story will likely end up being about a three or four part series. Hope you enjoy! Please R&R!**

**Please? It's right down there! Just tell me what you like about it and if you think this is fine or if I should cut it short or just go with my original ending! (Won't be as great, will be lame, and means only about four or five chapters...just so you know!)**


	9. Hospital

Alice-

Alick, Tarrant and I remained by Johanna's side as giant red vehicles drove up to the building and men dressed in white came in. About three of them rushed straight up to us with a small moving bed. With the help of Tarrant and Alick they lifted Johanna onto the bed, the men in white strapped her down and left. Tarrant, Alick and I tried to leave with them and followed them to one of the red vehicles. A man in white stopped us, holding out his arms to prevent us from following.

"I'm sorry sir but you and your friends can't go with, you'll have to find either a separate ride or go back to your homes until you are notified." He said.

"That's my sister, please sir you must allow us to come along." The man shook his head and planted him feet more firmly. "She's the only family I have left!" Tarrant tried again. The man looked reluctant but nodded and allowed us to file into the red vehicle.

"Strap down you two, no more accidents." one of the men instructed and we followed their lead.

Later we were all restlessly awaiting just what the doctor had to say. He cam out of the room and we all jumped to our feet.

"Well doctor how is she?"

"Is she alright?"

"Is their anything we can do to help?"

The doctor sighed and looked straight at Tarrant.

"She's lost a lot of blood. Enough that she needs a blood transfusion immediately. Do any of you know what blood type she is?" We all looked to Tarrant. He closed his eyes and shook his head.

"No, where we're from we don't really pay attention to those details unless we are medically trained. But I am her brother if that helps in any way." Tarrant admitted. The doctor smiled.

"How closely are you related as siblings?"

"Twins, identical, mother's eyes, father's hair and skin." Tarrant recited for the doctor. His smile broadened and he took Tarrant's wrist.

"That works perfectly, identical twins have the same blood type. Follow me you three!" He said gently dragging Tarrant with him.

"I'm going outside to wait, I can't stand how crowded it is in this place!" Alick said and left out one of the exits to the outside.

When it was finished a female nurse came in and cleaned Tarrant's arm and bandaged it. Tarrant watched in wonder as she put a small cotton pad over the place where the needle had been and wrapped a strange bandage on his arm.

She looked him straight in the eye and winked at him suggestively. Tarrant blushed a little but looked away from her. I growled and frowned in anger and tried to wait patiently as that…that…Harlot! Finished her work and left. She returned a little later with some orange colored juice and a small brown round item with chocolate colored chunks.

"I do suggest you eat this and drink the orange juice. You need to keep up your energy and allow your body to make more blood. If any of you need anything just press the Nurse Call button." she said and indicated the button. She winked at Tarrant a final time and left.

Tarrant sighed and grabbed the end of his sleeve, pausing a moment to look at his skin. "I'm looking grayer and grayer every moment. I guess this curse is really starting to take an effect on my physical appearance. I likely only have a few hours left before I must return." Tarrant groaned and pulled down his sleeve to cover his forearm.

"What curse?" I asked him wide eyed and worried, the Hatter dying? It couldn't be, please no! He froze for a moment and turned his head to look at me.

"A curse on Underlandians. Because of the sanity and pollutions and… differences between our worlds we can't survive in your world for more than a year. When I was trying to save you we were sent forward twenty years, giving me twenty hours in which to rescue you and make it home. But now that we're here in this time nearly two hundred years further than where we were last, I may have mere hours before I possibly die, of course no one is fully aware of what happens after the last day, but according to what happened with the White Prince we believed it confirmed that death does indeed come. I just hoped to be able to be with you and see what kid of world you come from."

I was shocked and rather angry. "And when did you plan to tell me this?" Tarrant looked down ashamed.

"I was going to tell you the night of the Ascots' Party, but then the whole ordeal with Stayne prevented that." He said.

"So you planned on telling me only after you said that you loved me? You risked your life by coming to my world, knowing you would die, just so you could see my world?" I shouted.

"No Alice, that's not it!" He said trying to reach for me. I swatted his hand away and spoke to him harshly.

"You came to my world just to see it? You used me you… you… Mad Man!" I shouted and tried to leave. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back.

"Alice, please hear me out!" He begged. I tried pulling free of him and when I did I made my way toward the doors.

"I can't believe you!" I shouted.

"God damn it Alice, I love you and I'm begging you as a man in love that you come back here and here me out!" He pleaded. I paused at the door but didn't bother to look at him.

"You have thirty seconds." I said not turning to look at him.

"I did want to see your world, but only with you! But the real reason I came was because I loved you, and I had been wanting to tell you since that night in the Red Queen's dressing rooms. The night of the party I was hoping to propose to you. I even had the ring and your mother's blessings! The only thing I was lacking was the courage to ask you to marry me and I prayed ever so long to god that you wouldn't refuse me. I was going to tell you before I asked you so you knew your options. And if you refused me I would have left you alone to live your life as you wanted Alice. I'm so sorry I didn't tell you earlier!"

I sniffed a little, tears coming to my eyes. "Why couldn't you have told me that night that we were sitting on my bed in my room?"

"I was scared about making you appear like a fool by not knowing anything about your world. And I didn't have enough courage to tell you." He admitted.

Tears were now trailing down my cheeks. I ran back to Tarrant and hugged his middle. His arms caged me to him tightly.

"I'm so sorry." He continually chanted in my ear.

"Never scare me like that again!" I said and hugged him tighter.

He used his pointer finger on his left hand to raise my chin so I was looking him straight in his shining green eyes.

"I promise Alice." he whispered and kissed me. I reluctantly pulled back and sat on the bed and cuddled into him, content to fall asleep in his arms.

"Thank you Tarrant!" I said and kissed his throat. He groaned and little and settled back into the inclined mattress of the bed.

"You need sleep, love." I murmured my agreement and nestled closer to him. "Goodnight my angel." And with that he softly sang a lullaby to me in a wonderful tenor voice until I fell asleep.


	10. Don't Touch

**Alice-**

I sat in the bed by Johanna's waiting for her to wake up. Tarrant had left to go to the privy and Alick was still outside the window pacing, every now and then, he would stop and punch one of the brick walls, it likely had several dents now from his fists.

I will admit, I was very reluctant to let Tarrant go after he had told me about the curse, but I could not deny his needs for long and let him go.

I stared at Johanna hoping to be distracted from his absence in hopes of seeing her awake. How long had he been gone anyway?

I looked at the clock on the wall, oh, just a minute.

I guess I've really been on edge lately what with all the shocks of Tarrant coming to my world, being kidnapped twice, the Red Queen being murdered, traveling through time twice, the return of Johanna, and of course Tarrant revealing that I could loose him any second.

I sighed and stared out the window thinking about what had become of my family back in London and friends in Underland for what felt like hours before a low moan pulled me back to reality. I turned around and saw Johanna's eyes scrunched shut tightly and her head moving from one side to the other. Her eyes fluttered open and I got off the bed and into one of the chairs to get closer to her.

"Good morning Ms. Hightopp." I said softly and smiling at her.

"Hey Alice." She said and tried to sit up. She groaned and her hands flew up to caress her forehead, she swayed and fell backwards, I caught her and lay her down slowly.

"Careful Johanna, the doctor said not to move so quickly after waking up so soon. You have to do this all in steps very slowly!" I said.

"What happened? Where are we? Where are Alick and Tarrant? Are they alright?" She asked in a rush and used her hand to block out the sunlight coming from the windows. I ran to them and shut the curtains so only a small sliver of light made its' way through then sat back in my seat.

"We don't know the whole story, but the doctor said you lost a lot of blood and needed a blood transfusion and with Tarrant being the closest kin to you he helped. After you blacked out on us, some men in white arrived and took you, along with us, here to a hospital. Where they did the transfusion. They didn't do much other than that, just stitch you up, bandage you, and give you some medicine." Johanna relaxed into the big pillow.

"And where are Alick and Tarrant?" She asked eyes half open.

"Tarrant went to the Privy and Alick is right outside, pacing. Would you like me to get him?" I asked with a knowing smile. Even with how pale she was, she still managed to blush although it was not much.

"Not yet, I'd much rather wait for Tarrant, I'm sure he'd love to lecture me or ask me a couple hundred questions." She answered and shrugged, although it looked more as if she was hunching than shrugging.

"How do you feel?" I decided to ask her after a short pause. She thought for a moment, biting her tongue and looking at the ceiling.

"My head hurts a bit, I'm tired, my throat feels like knives are being stuck in it, and my whole body aches. Other than that I'm fine," she said. I smiled and told her I was glad because that meant she was alive. She smiled and lightly pushed on my shoulder.

"Que bo que pensa así Alicia! I'm glad you think so Alice!" she laughed and sat back quietly.

Just then, Tarrant came in.

"How am I supposed to read English? I am an Outlander, I speak English only because I was constantly around it when I was young but I cannot read it! How was I supposed to know that sign said Ladies and not Men?" he said harshly to the doctor that came in with him. We stifled our laughter and Johanna winked and closed her eyes, pretending to still be out.

"How is she Miss Kingsley?" the doctor said looking at a small bored at the end of the bed.

"Has she woken up?" Tarrant asked forgetting his funny (to us at least) entrance.

"Why can't any one ask me anything instead of having someone else speak for me?" She mumbled. The Doctor jumped and dropped the clip bored, clutching at his heart.

"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry I didn't realize you were awake." He apologized as he bent to pick up the bored. Tarrant laughed at the doctor and patted his shoulder when he stood.

"I apologize for my little sister; she enjoys playing pranks and surprising people. As annoying as it is, I'm rather glad because it means she's alive and didn't perish as we all believed." He said laughing.

"That's quiet alright, well then Ms. Hightopp is it?" Johanna nodded. "Why don't you yourself tell me how you are doing?"

"I'm tired, my head hurts, my throat feels like it's been stabbed by knives my whole body aches, and I just want to go home back to my friends and the Outlands where I've been living for the past years." she said closing her eyes and relaxing again.

"Well, do you have any allergies?" The doctor asked.

"Eye of Newt, Tongue of Dog, Adder's Fork, and Toe of Frog." Johanna said smiling at the doctor's confusion.

"Flowers that grow in the Eastern parts of our homeland." Tarrant explained rolling his eyes at his little sister.

"Any former health injuries or problems?" he said writing the flowers down on a paper.

Johanna and Tarrant laughed. "Let me see if I can remember them all… the scars on my back are from a whip, I have scars from a fire when I was nineteen, I have small scars and spots on my hands from carving, creating, designing, and playing instruments for my trade, I have broken both my legs at least twice."

"Three times." Tarrant interrupted.

"Oh yes, thank you, and, oh yeah, I just finished fighting in a war when this guy," She jammed her thumb at Tarrant, "sends me a message asking me for help." Johanna said laughing. He blushed and looked at me, I blushed too and the doctor laughed lightly.

"Have the medicines helped at all?" He asked her writing every thing down.

"No, believe it or not it really hasn't. In fact it's just made me tired." she admitted. "Can I sit up now? Please?" the doctor nodded and pushed a button on her bed. The top half rose until she was sitting up at about a forty-five degree angle. "Thank you."

"Well then, maybe I should put you on higher doses then? Will you be alright with that?" he asked looking at her.

"No, I'm not alright with it. I am not allowing my sister to be put on high doses of medicines that do not even work on her. They might hurt or kill her if you push it too far." Tarrant spoke up.

"But what if she is hurt or dies because of the lack of the medicine?" The Doctor said.

"And what are the chances of that happening because of the lack of medicines that don't work?" A voice said in the doorway. We all looked and there stood Alick.

"Alick Calder!" Johanna said nearly breathless at the sight of him.

He moved around Tarrant and the doctor straight to her and hugged her. From my position, I could see the light pink coloring on her cheeks, brighter this time, as she pressed herself into his chest. I stood and let him take my seat. Tarrant wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer.

"Johanna, my dear." He whispered and kissed her with the same gentleness as before she had died. It was nothing passionate or needing, but just loving, loving and thankful that they had been reunited and had cheated death.

He pulled away and leaned his forehead against hers. Her hands reached up and stroked his face and hair.

"No medicines!" Tarrant said looking away from them and back to the doctor.

"She may need it." The doctor insisted.

"Why the Hell would she need it?" Alick said hugging her closer and protectively. I decided to stay silent in this argument just for the fact that I did not know Johanna as well as her brother and the man she loved.

"Let me show you." he said walking over to a screen. He pushed a switch and a light turned on, a black and white image showed up on the screen, it was much more visible in the dark than it would be with the curtains open and the lights on. "These are her ovaries. One of them has been damaged and has an infection from it; she has a chance of never having children even though the other is perfectly fine and will be taking over. However, this may cause you a bit of discomfort Ms. Hightopp and the infection may spread to the other ovary, and so that is why I'm proposing a repair treatment that is currently only experimental."

"Experimental? I don't think so Dr.!" Alick said holding her closer.

"You're not laying one hand on my sister like that!" Tarrant growled.

"Have any of you even considered asking Miss Hightopp about whether or not she wants this? It is after all, her body, her chance to have children, her children. She may just need this." The Doctor insisted.

"Excuse me, but why can't you just do as you've asked and ask me what I want?" Johanna spoke up; we all looked at her expectantly.

"Then what is it you want done Miss Hightopp?" The Doctor sighed.

"I do want to have children, but I'm not planning on it now, and I honestly don't trust you or any other 'doctors' and 'nurses' here. When we get back home, I want Mirana to help. She is a healer and knows what will and will not help. Therefore, I do not want you, or any of your men and women 'professionals' to even think about touching me. You are not going to raise the dosage of the medicines you have given me; in fact, they are what are causing my fatigue and pain, you are not going to give me any more medicine for the rest of the time that I am here in your lands. Thank you very much." Johanna said.

I gaped at her, such nerve to speak to a Doctor in such a way. She most certainly is related to Tarrant. The doctor flushed and looked at her angrily while spluttering half-coherent words.

"Well, in all my thirteen years of practice, no one has ever refused me or my medicines! And to refuse a treatment that could save a patients life! Never in all my years of practice!" He said and marched off. Johanna smiled and waved innocently at him.

"Okay, now I've seen everything!" I laughed and the others joined in.

**AN: Please Read and Review, I could use some suggestions and encouragment.**


	11. Memories

**Tarrant-**

I don't know how it happened, but one moment I was sitting in a chair, the next I'm in a gray scale world. Children were running around me, three blonde girls, one blonde boy, two red haired girls, one a mere toddler, and two young boys, one a little more than a baby, and a black haired boy, taller than the rest, sat off in the distance looking disdainfully at the others running around.

The eldest of the two red haired boys spontaneously stopped running and picked up some mud.

"Hey Annie," he yelled. The eldest red haired girl, Annie paused in the game and looked at him.

"Annie…That sounds like…" I trailed off just in time to see the boy fling the mud at Annie; she gave a loud cry of anger and chased after him.

"I'm going to get you fow that!" She screamed.

I ran after them, knowing what happened next. "Johanna stop, don't go after him, you're going to get hurt!" But I was too late.

Suddenly I was pulled away and out of the memory and into a new world. I found myself in what looked like the inside of our home before Horvendush Day.

"Tarrant, come out here my son!" A familiar voice called from outside.

"Fa," I shouted running out side. There before me were my deceased parents, Elspeth Eilonwy and Ian Maccaulay Hightopp. "I must be dead or dreaming." I said shaking my head, but they were still there.

Mother smiled, "Closer to the last my boy. Come closer son." She said and hugged me when I came closer. I could feel her! I could feel her warmth through my clothes; I could feel her body, her hair tickling me and her tears of joy falling on my neck and shoulder.

I had no hesitation in retuning the hug and pulling my father in as well.

"We must speak my son that is why we've pulled you here, to a land between life and death. To warn you of an approaching danger that threatens you every moment." Fa said.

"The curse, I know." I frowned.

"No, that is not it Tarry." My mother said.

"What is it then? And where are Alice, Alick, and Johanna? Shouldn't they here as well?" My mother placed her hand over my mouth to shut me up and stop my ramble.

"Tarrant, we love you so… but do shut up!" she said and my parents laughed at my blush.

"Johanna will be along shortly, the doctors are still a little hesitant to let her sleep. Alice is with her parents, the same goes for Alick, but for now we must warn you." Fa said placing his hand on mother's shoulder.

"What is wrong then?" I said eagerly.

"Johanna has made a grave mistake, she has made a deal with the Balal Shinar, the Chevalier De l'Etoile." Father said seriously. Mother clutched her hands to her chest and mumbled a short prayer.

"Oh God on high help us all."

I froze, "What, no she couldn't have, she knows better!" I cried in shock.

"He tricked her, he disguised himself and tricked her into making the deal, she didn't know, it wasn't her fault." Mother said sadly, tears running from her eyes.

"What kind of deal did she make? How did it happen?" I panicked.

"He allowed me to watch you, but then when you went through the glass I lost you. I became angry and attacked him, I lost focus and he pinned me down and forced me beneath him. We made a deal that you, Alice, and Alick would make it back, or else he was allowed to keep my soul. He sealed the deal by biting me." Johanna said coming up behind me and pulling down the collar of her dress and revealing a nasty human shaped bite mark just above her collar bone.

"Then what are we to do?" I asked looking to my father. My mother ran to my sister and hugged her tightly, tears pouring from both their eyes.

"You have one year to return home so I suggest you move quickly." My father advised. I frowned at him.

"That's great advice father, thank you." I said, grateful either way.

"Mother, father, I wish you could meet Alice. She's wonderful and so beautiful!" Johanna said moving to hug father.

"Perhaps that can be arranged."

**Alice-**

I'd fallen asleep and woken up in a world of nothing but grey. Someone was calling my name loudly. I turned around and there was a man chasing a young girl with blonde curls.

"Alice, slow down, you may hurt yourself!" he called out.

"No, that can't be…" But it was, it was my father chasing a younger me around in the maze behind our house.

True to my father's words, I tripped and fell, scraping my knee on some rocks and cutting it. I burst into tears and cradled my leg, my father came up to me and smiled with sympathy and picked the younger me up and carried me to our house.

The world suddenly disappeared and I found myself in my childhood home, everything was exactly as I remembered it, even the smell.

"Alice, my little Alice, come outside!" Father? I ran outside and there were my parents standing on the green grass.

I couldn't control myself; I ran to my father and hugged him tightly, crying. I could feel him, everything that I had felt when he was still alive. His warmth, his scent, even his tears falling into my hair. My mother came up behind me and hugged us both tightly.

"Alice, we don't have long and we must talk. You are in danger." My father said pushing me back at arms length.

"What does that mean father?" I asked looking into his brown eyes.

"A mistake has been made, you and your friends must return to Underland as soon as possible." He said, I nodded in understanding.

"I have a question father," he nodded his head, "why did you leave Underland? Why didn't you return before your protective magics ran out?"

My father shook his head. "It was an accident. Mirana and I were playing a game and I accidently set off some dangerous magic that upset the border between my world and your mothers, I was pulled in and Mirana barely managed to close the rip that pulled me in with the help of our parents. But I could never find a way to return and I was distracted with my family on earth." He said hugging me to him and kissing my head.

"Father, I do wish you could meet Tarrant. He's positively wonderful, a true gentleman and I'm in love with him." I said wistfully. He smiled in that gentle way of his and took our hands.

"Come with me, my little Alice."

**Alick-**

I guess I'd been having too little of it recently because I fell asleep in the hospital chair by Johanna. When I awoke I was in a world of grey.

In front of me were at least four boys all about the age of twelve, they were circled around a poor girl curled into a ball about the age of six. They were hassling and bullying her and she was crying her little eyes out.

"Why can't you bullies pick on someone your own age? Why do you have to pick on little girls? Is it because you're too scared to pick on someone older?" A squeaky voice said from behind me.

I think I know that voice… no it couldn't be! I turned to look behind me and sure enough there stood a nine year old boy with blond hair and dirty white clothes.

I slapped my hand to my forehead; I couldn't stand to watch knowing what a fool of myself I'd made.

Sure enough I heard the yelps of my younger self falling as he tried to jump down from the rocks and landed on his tail bone instead.

I finally looked up to see me standing up and walking up to the boys. I looked closer and saw the small scratch on my cheek. Most people thought I got that while training with swords, the truth was I had been playing with my three sisters and their kittens when one of them scratched me.

"Is the little mouse going to do something about it? Squeaky little white mouse is going to do something about it!" The tallest of them spat in my face.

I whipped the spit away disgusted. "What are you going to do mouse? This is our territory and she walked right into it!" Another said.

I smirked, "I'll do this!" And then I drew my left fist back and threw it forward right into the nose of their leader. My opposite leg went back and snapped at the other boy, right between the legs.

The boys panicked, clutching themselves where I'd hit them and started running away in a panic.

The younger me walked up to the girl and knelt down to eye level with her. She cringed away and covered her face with her hands. A few rays of light came down from the sun and reflected her red hair. I grabbed her wrists and slowly moved her hands away.

"Don't worry, they're gone, I'm not going to hurt you." I whispered to her smiling. "My name is Alick Calder; I'm the White Knight's son. Who are you?" she looked at me shyly, her lashes and big puffy eyes making her cuter now that I think about it.

"I'm Johanna Greer Hightopp; I'm the Royal Hatter's daughter." She said sniffling. "Thank you for stopping them."

"Let me help you up." We both stood and Johanna stood on her tip toes and kissed my cheek, the younger I blushed a bright red.

"That was for helping me brave knight, thank you." She said and ran off toward her village.

And then the memory disappeared and I found myself in the soldiers' quarters of the White Queen's Castle at Marmoreal.

"Alick, get out here!" A voice called from outside. Mother, really? This dream was just full of surprises.

I stepped outside and into the training circle and there stood my parents, Arthur and Lucy Calder.

My mother broke out into an uncharacteristic run, lifting her skirts as she did so, and the next thing I knew she was hugging me tightly. I could actually feel her, I must be dead!

I hugged my mother back not willing to miss the opportunity, and my father walked to us and placed a hand on my shoulder. When my mother finally let go of me I tried to vocalize all my questions but a hand on my mouth and a stern glare from my father stopped me.

"We don't have much time Alick, you must be warned now. The Hightopp woman that you travel with, Johanna, has made a grave mistake. You and your friends have one year to return to Underland safe and unharmed, should you fail the consequences will be disastrous. But I must warn you of this: your cousin, Illosovic Stayne, will also try and stop you. He has made a deal with the same devil and will be granted immortality and eternal life if he is to stop you from returning." He said and then removed his hand.

"If Johanna has put us all in danger, it could not have been on purpose!" I defended.

"We realize that my son, we only warn you so you know to be careful as you go." My mother said, smiling kindly. "Now come, there is some where we must go."

**Johanna-**

The doctors finally let me fall asleep after I had woken and found the others were already awaiting my arrival in dream land. But when I woke, I was in a world of grey, almost black and white. I guess I was still dreaming

I was in a field that should have been large and green with a bright blue sky and white cotton clouds above my head, if my memory was correct.

There in front of me were nine young adults. I knew this, I knew this memory! The four girls were Mara, Sariah, Brittany and I. They five boys were Bruce, Greylen, Bryson, Alick and Tarrant. We had been camping as our 'time away from home for friends' and I knew exactly what was about to happen.

I was sitting by the river talking to my female friends with our feet in the water; I even remember the topic of our discussion – boys of course – when it had happened. Tarrant was with the boys, completely distracted and unaware of what exactly he was doing, he was lighting the fire and as it growing he pushed one of the boys, lost his balance and pushed a small ember out of the fire.

Unaware of this he sat down on the rock where the ember had landed. It took a few moments for him to realize that he was on fire, but when he did, he stood up and franticly danced around trying to fan his rear and blow the flames out, that however had a negative effect and made the small flames grow.

Bruce ran to him with a bucket of water and tripped causing it to go everywhere. He'd doused the fire on my brother's rear, but had soaked the younger version of my brother as well.

Younger of elder, what?

Never mind that! This is no time for madness; I need to find out what's going on!

Just then the world shifted and I found myself back in my childhood home, full of color. I sighed in relief and left my room, down stairs at the door I heard voices outside.

"Johanna has made a grave mistake, she has made a deal with the Balal Shinar, the Chevalier De l'Etoile." A voice that sounded like Father said seriously

I froze, was that true? Is that what I'd done? Had I really put my friends, brother, and the man I loved in danger like that?

"What, no she couldn't have, she knows better!" Tarrant cried in shock trying to defend me.

"He tricked her, he disguised himself and tricked her into making the deal, she didn't know, it wasn't her fault." Mother said sadly, through the window I could see tears running from her eyes.

"What kind of deal did she make? How did it happen?" Tarrant panicked.

I opened the door and stepped outside behind him. "He allowed me to watch you, but then when you went through the glass I lost you. I became angry and attacked him, I lost focus and he pinned me down and forced me beneath him. We made a deal that you, Alice, and Alick would make it back, or else he was allowed to keep my soul. He sealed the deal by biting me." I said coming up behind him and pulling down the collar of my dress and revealing the bite mark just above my collar bone.

"Then what are we to do?" Tarrant asked looking to my father. Mother ran to me and hugged me tightly, a little too tightly but I didn't mind, tears pouring from both of our eyes as we struggled to control our emotions.

"You have one year to return home so I suggest you move quickly." My father advised. Tarrant frowned at him.

"That's great advice father, thank you." He said, grateful either way.

"Mother, father, I wish you could meet Alice. She's wonderful and so beautiful!" I said moving to hug father, really meaning it, I'm sure they'd love to meet the Blue Princess, the woman my brother loved.

"Perhaps that can be arranged." A strong male voice said from behind us. We turned and there was Alice with her parents, coming down the road to our village.

"Alice," Tarrant cried in joy and ran to her. Alice met him half way and they hugged each other tightly.

"Welcome back Alice!" I said and ran to hug her.

"Thank you Johanna." She said kindly, smiling.

"Alice, after all we've been through I would think you deserve to call me by a nickname by now." I laughed.

"Then what shall I call you?" She asked gripping my arms.

"It's up to you, you can call me what Tarry calls me, Jo, or as my parents do, Annie, or even as some of our friends in the U.U.R. prefer, Greer." I said, giving her options.

"Would you think it would sound too feminine if I called you Annie? It sounds beautiful!" She complimented. I smiled and nodded.

"Whatever you want to call me, remember?" she nodded.

"Annie it is then!"

Tarrant cleared his throat. "Any one you'd like to introduce us to Alice?" Alice's wandering mind collided with reality and she grabbed her father's hand and Tarrant's. Our parents came up behind us.

"Of course, I'm sorry I'm such a scatter brain today! Tarrant, I'd love for you to meet my Father. Charles Kingsley." She said smiling; she likely had fantasized about this but had known until now it would never happen.

"It is a pleasure to meet the White Prince and the Father of Alice." He said and did a courtly bow. Alice's father laughed.

"You have no need for formality. Your parents and deceased siblings and other family members have told me enough about you to make you almost family. Of course, if things go as you hope, you will be!" he laughed at his and Alice's blush, Alice pressed her face into his shoulder and hid herself.

"So we aren't invited to the party?" A voice called from behind. We all looked and there was Alick with his parents coming from the direction of Marmoreal.

"Alick," I smiled and ran to him. He hugged me tightly and kissed every bit of my face and neck he could reach, all but my lips.

"Johanna," He said softly as he laid his forehead against mine. I kissed his cheek and in kind he gripped my hair possessively and kissed my lips with his honey tasting ones.

I was rather reluctant to end it, but the clearing of my father's throat and likely a few stern glares at Alick from my parents and brother had us pulling apart, smiling nervously and both our faces flushed.

I heard Alice trying to stifle her giggles and I glared at her.

"Well then, as wonderful a reunion as that was, I believe first off, Alick, you owe us an introduction to your lady friend." His mother spoke.

"Of course, Johanna, I'd like you to meet my parents, formally at least, Arthur and Lucy. Mother, Father, I'd like you to meet Johanna Hightopp, the woman I love." He said proudly.

I remembered by manners and bowed – at least I was about to when I caught myself and curtsied. "It's an honor to meet the parents of Alick Calder." I said as kindly as I could, trying not to appear stiff.

"Such a charm," His mother cried.

"Now, on to item number two, I believe we must have a small celebration four our children!" Charles said joyfully and we all vocalized our approval.

At last, our first break in a long while!


	12. Binding

**Tarrant-**

We sat around the fire in our home, catching up as the sun had set outside. I sat on the ground with Alice cuddled against me in my lap, to my surprise her parents hadn't objected once. Alick and Johanna were also on the ground closer to the fire, Alick sitting against a few cushions with outstretched legs and Johanna with her head in his lap. Mother and Father sat on the couch, Alice's parents were resting on the love seat, and Alick's parents sat on another love seat across from him and Johanna.

We laughed as Father told another story about us all making fools of ourselves. After a while the parent's laughter died down and they all gave each other serious looks. The rest of us sobered and stopped laughing; Johanna sat up and looked at them all confused like the rest of us.

"It's time," was all Charles said and they nodded in response. They stood and formed a semi-circle.

"Our children, we have been watching you since this adventure of yours first started, and we want to give you all a gift. It may be small, but it's very important for all of you, so long as you accept." Alice's mother said.

"And what is it that we must accept?" Alice said, fully trusting her mother.

"We have all spoken with each other, and we know you are all in love. So we are offering to allow you to be bonded should you so wish." Mother said with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Bonded, truly?" I asked looking to my parents then Alice.

"What does that mean Tarrant?" She whispered to me.

"A bond in Underland is more binding than a marriage up above. If one is hurt or distressed the other can feel it, but if one dies the other will not although they are able to give up some of their strength to save the other, they both feel each other's emotions, and it allows them to be one being, so to speak." I whispered.

"It's also said to be a ritual reserved only for queens and their lovers and the gods and goddesses of Underland." Johanna said in awe, staring at our parents.

"You are really willing to perform this ceremony for us if we so wish?" Alick asked our parents, his eyes sparkling with hope. They all nodded and smiled.

"If you agree, but remember, it can also be a danger. Are you so willing to bind yourselves to your loves?" Alick's father said seriously looking at each of us.

I looked at Alice, just as Alick did the same to Johanna. "Alice, I know that I've already asked too much of you and put you in danger one too many times." I began.

She placed her hand over my mouth, "Tarrant, this could save your life." I moved her hand and kissed her palm sadly.

"Alice, please be sure about this. Don't do this to save me, I ask you to do this because I love you and I want to know that you return that love and are willing to stay with me." Her eyes misted with tears.

"Tarrant, I do love you, and that's why I want to do this. I love you," She said looking me in my eyes.

"Oh Alice," I whispered and kissed her.

"Then you are all in agreement?" Father said smiling. We all shook our heads. "Very well, stand between us and hold your love's hand." We did as instructed and our parents took each other's hands and formed a circle around us.

"Charles, if you will say the rights." Charles nodded and took a deep breath.

"There is a cave of love, the cave is round to symbolize the simplicity of love; there are no nooks or corners where cunning and treachery can lurk. Its breadth signifies the power of love and its height love's aspiration to virtue, symbolized by the key stone. The white walls and the green floor stand for integrity and constancy respectively, while the translucency of the crystal bed expresses the lucidity of love. The door cannot be opened from the outside because true love realizes that love's door must not be forced. Finally, the three windows symbolize the lover's virtues: kindness, humility and breeding. If you wish to be bound together you must accept this with all your heart and you will be bound together." He said and swallowed, trying not to cry, "Ian, continue please."

"Alice Kingsley, do you accept the love of protection Tarrant Hightopp?" Alice nodded, tears coming from her eyes. "Tarrant Hightopp, do you accept the love and position of Alice Kingsley?" I nodded tears of my own falling down my cheeks. "Arthur, continue for your son."

"Johanna Hightopp, do you accept the love and challenges of Alick Calder?" Johanna nodded, crying like Alice and I. "Alick Calder, do you accept the love and care of Johanna Hightopp?" Alick squared his jaw, straightened and nodded, trying to hold in his tears of joy. "Charles, once again please."

"Then by the powers I hold in Underland and in the Afterlife, I now call upon your guardians to bind the Blue Queen, Alice to the Mad Hatter Tarrant Hightopp. I also call upon the guardians of Johanna Hightopp the Royal Composer and the White Knight Lord Alick Calder to bind them together."

I felt a sudden rush of heat and emotion; I felt an almost searing pain on my left shoulder blade, like a design was being burned into my skin. I looked at the others, and by the looks of their faces, they were feeling it too.

"I am sorry there is nothing more we can do for you. We love you, and it is time for you to go, it will be sunrise on Earth soon and people will be coming around. Now is your chance to leave. Do not waste time or else you will be noticed!" Alice's mother said.

"Mother, Father," Johanna cried and ran to hug them one final time.

And then we were pulled away and back to the hospital room.


	13. The plans of the Chavalier De l'Etoile

Chevalier De l'Etoile-

Perfect, now all I needed were the three virgin royals to finish the creation of my glorious new world made entirely of the rarest, and therefore most superior, souls, then of course I had four more souls to collect.

Virgin Royals, did such a thing even exist anymore? I just need three, the White Queen, the Red Queen, and of course their niece the Queen of Blue. But were all three of them virgins?

Ten knights entered my throne room with six imprisoned souls. I smiled when I recognized the voices of the four remaining souls to 'collect'.

"My Lord, we caught these six in the nexus. The pulled four people there as well. The creatures sensed an energy surge that has been identified as a binding, My Lord." One of my shadow guards said and bowed.

I growled and gripped my throne tightly. "Who have they bonded?" The guard shook his head, that idiot had no idea who, he hadn't even bothered to see who! I stood and walked up to them and picked up Ian Hightopp, "Who did you bind, Hightopp?" He looked at me wide eyed and too stunned to speak.

"The Blue Queen to the Mad Hatter and the Royal Court Composer to the White Knight, my Lord." Spoke up the voice of my favored.

"Ah, Matilda," I dropped the Hightopp and he fell with a loud thud onto the black marble. "How good of you to show up and do my ears deceive me or did you say that the Blue Queen was bound to the Mad Hatter?" She nodded.

"That is true my Lord." No! That wasn't supposed to happen! I cursed loudly; the guards and the prisoners flinched and backed away from me. "What does that mean my Lord? What does it matter if they are bound?"

"It means that if fate whishes to foil my plans I will not be able to lay one hand on any of them!" I screamed as I threw my throne into the wall. It splintered and broke into a million pieces. "And what's worse, since they are bound, if the Queen of Blue is still a virgin, she may lose that and make me wait another generation!" I screamed and threw my fist into the wall; a large dent was left there.

"Why must they be virgins My Lord?" I calmed only mildly.

"It is a part of the ritual. I must kill the three virgin queens and then a fourth, preferably a commoner and a virgin, in order to seal the deeds and allow life to live there. Thousands of times others have failed to kill the fourth or ensure they were all virgins, and have failed to create their worlds."

"So who do you plan to use?" Matilda asked coming closer to me.

"I plan to use the White Queen for the formation of the Earth, the Red Queen for the formation of the Water, and of course the Queen of Blue for the Sky."

"But who have you chosen to seal it and create life?" I hadn't thought of that part.

"I haven't decided, but that Hightopp woman will do just fine!"

"Nay, you won't touch my little girl! You won't touch any of them!" Elspeth spoke up. I turned to face the prisoners, Elspeth gasped and the site of me glaring down at her and her throat started to convulse.

"Oh? Well, there is _nothing_ you can do. I may not be able to claim any of them until after death but, that has already been arranged. Your children will be mine one way or another! I have already sent Ilosovic Stayne to take their lives, they don't stand a chance!" They cringed away from me. Perfect.

"You won't get them, Alick won't let his cousin get them, and he still wants his revenge, as do Tarrant and Johanna!" Arthur spat.

"Tarrant and Alick do not matter in this; however they may make wonderful additions to my collection. Tell me, Alick is the youngest White Knight in a decade, correct? And he possesses no brothers! Tarrant Hightopp, a highly skilled craftsman, and the creator of the U.U.R.? Now that I think about it I will add them to my collection! Thank you for the suggestion Arthur Calder!"


	14. Alice M Clarkson

**Alice (Ali) M. Clarkson-**

I had a strange dream last night. I dreamed that a dead ancestor was visiting me and telling me something. He told me that there were four people that needed my help. He told me that they needed clothes and transportation to England. This was an odd dream, but after a short confirmation I accepted. I ran to the Walmart down the street and bought two new sets of girls' clothes and two new sets of boys' clothes.

I went to the hospital and found the instructed room. I set the clothes down and scribbled a quick note for them to read and left for the west exit.

**Alick-**

A note and four sets of clothes were resting on a table.

Dear strangers,

I had a feeling that you four would need these. Please dress quickly and meet me at the west exit, I'll explain after you arrive.

We removed the machines monitors from Johanna and needless to say we all followed the instructions quickly. We hung up one of the sheets for privacy and shut the door. Tarrant and I removed our dirty clothes and as I reached for the clothes that were about by size I saw a curious design on Tarrant's chest.

"Tarrant, you have her mark!" I said staring at the white rabbit design. The rabbit was moving and a blue butterfly flew over and around it.

"What?" Tarrant looked down and saw the mark over his heart. "Wow... You have one too!" He said and pointed at the mark on my chest.

A green eyed Fox was walking around in a green field, a small festival could be seen in the back round with a blue sky over head.

"Wow," was all I could say.

We finished dressing quickly and left for the west exit and there was a woman, dressed in all black with a dark green steel carriage. Her hair was also black but with blonde and blue streaks and she had black glasses over her eyes.

"Who are you, did you give us these?" Tarrant said holding out the note and indicating our clothes.

"Yes, I'm Alice, but people call me Ali, come with me and I'll explain on the way." She said and moved to the left side of the car, "climb in!"

The carriage had five seats in all, a driver's and four passengers. We looked at each other and Tarrant made the first move. He sat in the seat by the driver and Alice, Johanna and I sat in the back.

The carriage lurched forward and the tires squealed loudly. "Sorry for the drama back there. I guess I should explain myself. My name is Alice Clarkson, and you guys, I hope I get this correct, are Tarrant, Alice, Johanna, and... Alick?" She pointed to each of us in turn. I nodded when she said my name to confirm she was correct. "Well, I had a dream that involved an ancestor of mine. He said that you four needed my help to return home. So, would you accept the help of a stranger?"

"First of all, I want to know, what was the name of your ancestor?" Alice said critically.

"Henry Kingsley, said he was expanding his father's company to the Americas and thought it would be a good idea to do trade with the Native Americans, along the way he married one and was about to take her back to America when he received a letter from his mother that said his father had died, the eldest of his sisters was wed and his youngest sister, whom I'm named after, was about to be engaged. But the thing that struck out most to him was that his dad was dead, so he never returned. That is until they found him; apparently his sister who was supposed to be engaged back in England had been kidnapped. He trusted the guy looking for her; he'd known her stories and always believed them. He helped until they were set to return home. A few years later he died after his third son was born." She explained.

"So Henry sent you to help us?" Alice said leaning forward.

"Yes, he said that others were providing time for us to speak so he could warn me. So I guess that until you get to England, you're in my care. I'll take you guys to my house where you can clean up, and then we'll go and get you some better clothes. I'll try and convince my parents to let you come with us to Scotland, but that's as far as I can get you. Get off the road you drunk!" She yelled suddenly. "Sorry."

"What city in Scotland will you leave us in?" Alice said, after all she would be our guide after wards.

"Likely Inverness, I wish it was closer, maybe if we get really lucky I could get you to Glasgow, would you be able to find your way?"

"I've been to Glasgow before; I think I remember the way. Do you know what had become of the Ascots' Estate?"

"They sold it to my family a few generations ago, we go there every few summers, but not this time, this time we're trying to look for more about the Hightopp clan, every time we go to England we can't find them. But we did find this!" She handed a small journal back to us. "It belonged to Margaret Kingsley-Manchester!"

Alice opened the book to May 9th and read aloud. "There was a failed engagement party for my sister today. She refused Hamish for another man; a gentleman from Scotland named Tarrant Hightopp. Mother approves of him, Lowell doesn't trust him, and I honestly don't care so long as my little sister is happy!"

Alice paused and lowered the book for a moment then turned to a future date. "May 11th I received distressing news from Mother just moments ago. Mr. Hightopp and my sister are missing! Lowell is cursing madly and mother is one the couch crying. Something must have happened to them!" There were tear stains on the page.

"May 13th, I didn't have the heart o write this last night. There were too many sad things going on. But we went to the hall of mirrors to see if there was any evidence as to what happened to them and we found blood and broken glass all over the floor, at least three mirrors broken, Tarrant's torn and bloodied coat and ascot, bits of Alice's torn dress, black gloves too large to fit Tarrant, and a purple liquid on the floor. Mother had a heart attack at the sight of it all and died before we could get her back to the house and get a doctor." Alice froze and dropped the book. "Mother," she said, tears coming to her eyes.

Johanna frowned and hugged her tightly and rocked Alice back and forth. Alice hugged her back and cried into her shoulder. "I can't believe this; I caused my mother's death!"

"No Alice, not you, my cousin did this! And I swear if I ever get my hands on him, I'm going to thank him for reuniting me with all of you and giving me the chance to kill him, and then I'm going to kill him slowly, damn arresting him! It would be much easier to kill him instead!" I vowed.

**AN: Hey guys! Guess what awesome news I have? "Follow Me Up" has just reached 10,118 Hits! "Forbidden" has just reached 5,387 Hits, "For Family" has just reached 2,683 Hits, and "Follow Me Through the Glass of Time" has reached 716 Hits! So I know you guys are reading! So please review for me and make this story go faster?**

**Either way, production will be a _little_ slow until I can get hlep from a "Friend" of mine. Brit, where is my e-mail with her number?**


	15. Safety

Johanna-

We pulled up to a large house with several more carriages in front of it. The carriage was turned off and Ali turned in the front seat to talk to us.

"Alright you guys listen up, my step-mom and dad, who is home for once, aren't too keen on allowing strangers in the house, so just for a while I need you to pretend that you know me. The story we tell them is this, I got a call from you guys this morning, you got a little stranded while camping so I had to go up to Logan to save your butts. You guys are from the UK and need help getting home so since we leave next week we need to take you with. Do you understand?" We nodded and left the car.

The house was well light and several young men sat in the front room. "Hey Ali, where have you been all day? And who are these guys?"

Ali nodded to the eldest, "Hey David, these are some of my friends, I met them back in England, and they want to help us in exchange for help getting back to the UK. They say they know some things about Alice Kingsley, you know, the one that went missing with her lover?"

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice blush hotly.

"So I take it we have four more for dinner?" a tall woman with blonde hair said from the door way.

Ali nodded, "That's right Sabrina. Sorry for the last minute notice! I'll help you cook if you like!" Sabrina nodded.

"That would seem appropriate, and your friends can help cook too!" Ali and Sabrina led us to the kitchens.

"So, is Sabrina your sister? She seems a little old," I said conversationally while I cut and peeled potatoes a short while later.

"No, Sabrina is my step-mother. My mom died in a fire when I was eighteen months old," She said dumping Alick's peeled onions into a pot. The poor guy was trying to hold back the tears and patting at his eyes in an attempt to dry them up with his sleeve.

"I'm sorry, no false sympathy! Honest to God! My entire family was lost in a fire; Alick, Tarrant, Mirana, Thackery and I were the only ones that survived," I frowned and suddenly found staring at the shiny knife in my hand very interesting. Honestly, it was shiny! How dare it be so shiny and distracting! I gave myself a mental slap and returned to reality.

"I know you really mean it; I can just tell when someone, especially as readable as you guys, is telling the truth. You don't need to apologies." I smiled softly; I was beginning to like this child already!

Alice-

We sat down around a long table; we said a short grace and started eating, as I was a little less than half way finished with my chicken Ali's father spoke up from the other end of the table.

"So, we never got to know your names! Care to rectify the situation?"

We all smiled, "I'm Tarrant Hightopp, this is my wife Alice Kingsley-Hightopp, my sister Johanna Hightopp-Calder, and my brother-in-law Alick Calder," Hatter said indicating each of us in turn.

"Oh, do you have any children?" Sabrina suddenly spoke up. Johanna and I blushed bright scarlet at her implications. I felt as if should you drop a piece of ice on me it would turn to steam before it even came into contact with my skin.

"No," Alick said trying not to cackle and hugging Annie to him. Tarrant also tried not to laugh as he denied her and took my hand. Sabrina frowned.

Not much later Ali led me to my room and handed me a warm top and bottoms. "To keep you warm tonight, Sabrina doesn't always turn the heat on up here because no one sleeps on the third floor. Tomorrow David and I will take you four to The Fashion Place Mall. Good night Alice, sleep well!" I entered the room and changed quickly.

Johanna-

I changed into my nightgown quickly and moved to the bed where Alick lay, half asleep already. I hugged him and kissed his cheek.

In a bold move, Alick moved atop of me. I gasped in surprise but made no move to push him off, we belonged to each other now and there was no longer a need to be nervous or scandalized. He wore no shirt, revealing his toned chest and his ribs poking out from under his skin. But for the first time, I saw the many scars that crisscrossed his skin. I paused and stared at them, tears coming to my eyes.

"My poor Alick, what did they do to you? Why did they do it?" I sobbed as I ran my hands over his darkened skin, a tear fell for every scar I encountered, and there were many of them.

Alick tipped my face up to look him in his blue eyes, "I dare not tell you the horrors of what they did, but the simple truth is this my cousin wanted revenge. And for a short while he got it; but he couldn't keep it." He smiled, tears of joy and gratitude shining in the lamp light. "And he'll never get her again." He whispered and kissed me gently, pouring every drop of love and gratitude into my mouth through his.

"We need rest," I sighed, reluctantly pulling away when my air ran out.

"Yes, and besides, that night I'd rather save for when we are safe, home in Underland and alone," he agreed and moved behind me. "But just for tonight let me hold you."

Alice-

I curled up in the bed and pulled the covers up to my chin. True to what Ali said, this room was freezing! I just couldn't wait for all this to be over and back in Underland in our own time.

I felt the covers lift and someone crawl under the covers. Great, a midnight intruder, just what I needed! I turned onto my opposite side, prepared to tell them to go away, possibly even slap them.

"Hello Alice," I heard some one sigh. Was that Tarrant I heard? I sat up, clutching the blanket to me and turned the lamp light on. Tarrant sat up as well, his chest bare and his lower half covered by the blankets. I blushed brightly at the sight of him.

"Tarrant, what are you doing in here?"

"Alice, I know this may be a bit new and rather borderline for you but, we are, as the equivalent of your world is, married now. If you like, I can find somewhere else to sleep?" He began to get out of the bed; I reached for his hands and caught them.

"No, yes it is new to me but, please stay with me?" Tarrant looked back to me and lay back down. I sat on his middle, exposing my body to the cold. He slowly rested his hands on my thighs and massaged gently.

He smiled and leaned up; I bent down and kissed him passionately. "Well then, should we…" I trailed off blushing and hoping he realized what I meant. Tarrant's eyes darkened and he softly gripped my thighs a little tighter.

"We don' have to lass, but if you like we can," He burred softly. I swallowed nervously and shifted a top of him.

"If it's alright, can we… not tonight?" I swallowed again.

"Of course Lass, not tonight, not until you're ready." His eyes brightened and he sat back down. I moved off of him and curled up against him, his arms wrapped around me tightly and we fell asleep.

Johanna-

I woke up to a bright light shining in my eye. I hissed a little – Tarrant always teased me about that habit, likely developed by being around Chess or mother's cat who did hiss when he was woken up by light – and turned onto my stomach, I opened my heavy eye lids and looked at the glowing red numbers of the clock.

11:45 A.M.

How unusual for me to sleep in so late! I sat up and slowly and gingerly stretched. I got up on my weak and shaky legs and grabbed my clothes; Alick had already gotten up and left. I dressed as quickly as I could and went into the necessity room. I splashed cold water on my face to get rid of my puffy eyes from crying last night and to wake me up. And then started finger combing my air, I braided it down my back and tied it off with a ribbon. I stretched again, less careful this time so as to get ready for the day. I cried out loudly when a shot of pain coursed from my abdomen and through out my entire body. I lost my balance and fell, hitting my head against the tub. Black clouded my vision before the world around me became oblivious and dark.

Tarrant-

We were sitting down to a late brunch, at the table and awaiting the late arrival of my sister when we heard a loud scream of pain and a loud hallow thud

"Annie," Alice said. Eleven chairs squealed against the wood floor and eleven sets of feet ran to the source of the sound.

The door to the necessity room was unlocked – thank the gods – and on the floor was Johanna, unconscious.

Alick entered the room and picked up his wife. Sabrina led us to their room where she was set down. We requested to be a lone and Ali and her family left.

Alice shut the door and I began to roll up Jo's shirt to jus below her breasts and moved to her pants. "What are you doing?" Alice gasped as I pushed her pants and pantalets out of the way, but not enough to really show anything.

"That infection needs to be checked, I think it's getting worse!" I grabbed my knife from my pocket and cut the bandage open.

Sure enough the wound was indeed infected and bleeding. "Alice, get me a wet cloth and grab my needle and thread from our room." Alice left and shortly returned with a wet towel and the needle and thread.

"You know what you're doing, right?" Alice said concerned and staying out of my way and I cleaned the wound.

"Yes, sad as it is to say, in the U.U.R. we've all had similar injuries and had to learn basic medicines. Speaking of which, Alick you've studied medicines more in depth. Do you know of anything that could help?" Alick nodded slowly.

"I know of only one thing, but we can't give it to her, she's allergic."

"Tell me what it is, and I'll tell you if she can or can't and how much she can have."

Alick hesitated, "Adders fork." I smiled softly and started the stitches.

"She allergic, but only a little when she ingests it, her eyes will be blue for a while and she may be sick for a while, but it will help, won't it?" Alick nodded.

"If we had any that…" He trailed off when I pulled a small brown bag from my pocket and tossed it to him. He opened the bag and looked at the dried herbs inside. "Tarrant Logan Hightopp, you are a genius!" He cried and stood up.

"What shall we tell our hosts?" Alice said as Alick left.

"Tell them Johanna had a bought of clumsiness and lost her balance, she hit her head on the tub and lost consciousness." Alice nodded and left quickly.

Not long later Johanna woke up and I sat on the bed beside her, talking to her softly when Alick returned, with the help of Alice with a tray, a pot of tea, and four cups, three of which were empty.

"Good morning sleepy head!" Alice greeted as Alick set the tray down on the bedside table.

"Do you think you can drink a bit of tea to help get rid of that nasty infection?"

"Of course I can! I may be forced into bed yet again, but I can still sit up and drink! After all, I'm related to the tea guzzler himself!" I laughed and helped her sit up, Alick handed her the cup of tea.

"Its adders fork," he warned, Johanna downed the drink any way, knowing the consequences of both drinking it and not drinking it.

She started coughing violently and clutched her throat.

"I warned you Love," he said softly, frowning and likely beating himself up for giving it to her any way. Johanna smiled and shook her head.

"No, my fault, I swallowed wrong," and to prove him wrong she took another drink until it was all gone.

Alice handed me a cup of tea, "No thank you, I don't particularly like the taste of adders fork," Okay so that was only half the truth, being identical meant we had the same allergies so I dare not drink it unless it was absolutely necessary.

"It's not adders fork, its lemon tea. I thought it would be a good idea to make some other form of tea for us to drink, seeing as how none of us have eaten yet," Alice smiled. I took the cup and sipped it.

It was tart, yet sweet, they had likely added sugar to make it less so but still, it was very tart.

Much later we piled into a different carriage, or car as Ali had called it, this one was black and fit up to eight people, the only catch was you had to pull at least one of the seats forward for people to get into the back.

We drove for a few miles, getting onto a fast road, before we mad it to a city called, Murray. We found a place to park and went inside.

"Okay girls, you're with me! Guys, David is in on it and he known everything, you're with him! David if you need us, we'll be at either 'Hot Topic', 'Icing', 'Victoria's Secret', or 'Dillards'." David nodded and the girls left.

Alice-

"So then where are we going to first?" I asked, gazing in wonder at all the shops and people and strange new fashions around us.

"How about Hot Topic? I'm not sure how much you'll like it though." Ali shrugged. I looked to Annie who nodded and smiled.

"We can give it a try." And so we went.

We didn't really like the store much; it played strange screaming music in the background and had odd and dark clothing. So instead we went to the next shop on the list, Icing.

They sold no clothes, other than hats scarves and gloves which Johanna was remarkably happy about, and make up and jewelery.


	16. Infection

Johanna-

I woke up to a bright light shining in my eye. I hissed a little – Tarrant always teased me about that habit, likely developed by being around Chess or mother's cat who did hiss when he was woken up by light – and turned onto my stomach, I opened my heavy eye lids and looked at the glowing red numbers of the clock.

11:45 A.M.

How unusual for me to sleep in so late! I sat up and slowly and gingerly stretched. I got up on my weak and shaky legs and grabbed my clothes; Alick had already gotten up and left. I dressed as quickly as I could and went into the necessity room. I splashed cold water on my face to get rid of my puffy eyes from crying last night and to wake me up. And then started finger combing my air, I braided it down my back and tied it off with a ribbon. I stretched again, less careful this time so as to get ready for the day. I cried out loudly when a shot of pain coursed from my abdomen and through out my entire body. I lost my balance and fell, hitting my head against the tub. Black clouded my vision before the world around me became oblivious and dark.

Tarrant-

We were sitting down to a late brunch, at the table and awaiting the late arrival of my sister when we heard a loud scream of pain and a loud hallow thud

"Annie," Alice said. Eleven chairs squealed against the wood floor and eleven sets of feet ran to the source of the sound.

The door to the necessity room was unlocked – thank the gods – and on the floor was Johanna, unconscious.

Alick entered the room and picked up his wife. Sabrina led us to their room where she was set down. We requested to be a lone and Ali and her family left.

Alice shut the door and I began to roll up Jo's shirt to jus below her breasts and moved to her pants. "What are you doing?" Alice gasped as I pushed her pants and pantalets out of the way, but not enough to really show anything.

"That infection needs to be checked, I think it's getting worse!" I grabbed my knife from my pocket and cut the bandage open.

Sure enough the wound was indeed infected and bleeding. "Alice, get me a wet cloth and grab my needle and thread from our room." Alice left and shortly returned with a wet towel and the needle and thread.

"You know what you're doing, right?" Alice said concerned and staying out of my way and I cleaned the wound.

"Yes, sad as it is to say, in the U.U.R. we've all had similar injuries and had to learn basic medicines. Speaking of which, Alick you've studied medicines more in depth. Do you know of anything that could help?" Alick nodded slowly.

"I know of only one thing, but we can't give it to her, she's allergic."

"Tell me what it is, and I'll tell you if she can or can't and how much she can have."

Alick hesitated, "Adders fork." I smiled softly and started the stitches.

"She allergic, but only a little when she ingests it, her eyes will be blue for a while and she may be sick for a while, but it will help, won't it?" Alick nodded.

"If we had any that…" He trailed off when I pulled a small brown bag from my pocket and tossed it to him. He opened the bag and looked at the dried herbs inside. "Tarrant Logan Hightopp, you are a genius!" He cried and stood up.

"What shall we tell our hosts?" Alice said as Alick left.

"Tell them Johanna had a bought of clumsiness and lost her balance, she hit her head on the tub and lost consciousness." Alice nodded and left quickly.

Not long later Johanna woke up and I sat on the bed beside her, talking to her softly when Alick returned, with the help of Alice with a tray, a pot of tea, and four cups, three of which were empty.

"Good morning sleepy head!" Alice greeted as Alick set the tray down on the bedside table.

"Do you think you can drink a bit of tea to help get rid of that nasty infection?"

"Of course I can! I may be forced into bed yet again, but I can still sit up and drink! After all, I'm related to the tea guzzler himself!" I laughed and helped her sit up, Alick handed her the cup of tea.

"Its adders fork," he warned, Johanna downed the drink any way, knowing the consequences of both drinking it and not drinking it.

She started coughing violently and clutched her throat.

"I warned you Love," he said softly, frowning and likely beating himself up for giving it to her any way. Johanna smiled and shook her head.

"No, my fault, I swallowed wrong," and to prove him wrong she took another drink until it was all gone.

Alice handed me a cup of tea, "No thank you, I don't particularly like the taste of adders fork," Okay so that was only half the truth, being identical meant we had the same allergies so I dare not drink it unless it was absolutely necessary.

"It's not adders fork, its lemon tea. I thought it would be a good idea to make some other form of tea for us to drink, seeing as how none of us have eaten yet," Alice smiled. I took the cup and sipped it.

It was tart, yet sweet, they had likely added sugar to make it less so but still, it was very tart.

Much later we piled into a different carriage, or car as Ali had called it, this one was black and fit up to eight people, the only catch was you had to pull at least one of the seats forward for people to get into the back.

We drove for a few miles, getting onto a fast road, before we mad it to a city called, Murray. We found a place to park and went inside.

"Okay girls, you're with me! Guys, David is in on it and he known everything, you're with him! David if you need us, we'll be at either 'Hot Topic', 'Icing', 'Victoria's Secret', or 'Dillards'." David nodded and the girls left.

Alice-

"So then where are we going to first?" I asked, gazing in wonder at all the shops and people and strange new fashions around us.

"How about Hot Topic? I'm not sure how much you'll like it though." Ali shrugged. I looked to Annie who nodded and smiled.

"We can give it a try." And so we went.

We didn't really like the store much; it played strange screaming music in the background and had odd and dark clothing. So instead we went to the next shop on the list, Icing.

They sold no clothes, other than hats scarves and gloves which Johanna was remarkably happy about, and make up and jewelry. Ali told us to take our pick, we both grabbed one hat, one set of gloves, a scarf, a small box that had make up in, and a necklace. Johanna was about to grab a pair of earrings when she heard a little girl crying when she got her ears pierced for them and decided against it and put them back.

Ali next took us to a rather large store and the end of the large market; I blushed furiously when I saw just what this shop sold.

Short bloomers -pantalets- and odd corsets and seductive perfumes and body lotions were every where.

"Come on, we need to get you some underthings don't we?" Ali said impatiently as she dragged me in.

As Johanna and I searched through the merchandise I sighed loudly. "Can I give you a penny for your thoughts Alice?" Johanna said as she looked at the bright colored underthings.

"It's just that, Tarrant has mere hours, minutes even, to live and yet what are we doing? Shopping, that's what!" Annie paused and stared at me.

"Hours or minutes to live," She suddenly gasped in horror, "That's right you don't know!" That was confusing. Johanna smiled and began laughing.

"I don't see what's so funny about this Johanna!" I nearly shouted, angry with her for such foolery in such a horrible time.

"No, no, no! You never knew! There is no curse! Tarrant is fine!" She said through her laughs. Several other women in the store stared at us; apparently this was not usual every day behavior, but I honestly couldn't bring myself to care! Tarrant was safe!

"Does he know? He must not because he's the one that told me about it!" Johanna shrugged and returned to browsing.

"No I suppose not, but Alick is likely to tell him should he bring it up."

"Alick knows too? And how did you find out any way?" she shrugged again.

"I learned while I was…" She trailed off and looked around, no one was paying attention to us any more, "dead," she whispered. "That devil told me."

"How do you explain my father's death then, and how did Alick learn?"

"You're father died of liver and lung cancer due to smoking and alcoholism although the later was very light. You see every Underlandian has a certain element that allows them to live. For Tarrant it's the air, that's why he looks so sick. For Alick it's starlight. For your father it was air and sunlight –a rather rare case really - and for you it would be sunlight as well. For me, water. As for how Alick learned, he lived past the limit, so he's fine!"

"So as long as that element exists an Underlandian can live above?" Johanna nodded.

"Yes, sometimes in rare cases we will need a certain living thing. Such as the first Underlandian to have died in your world, with the extinction of a certain animal she died. So until Tarrant willingly followed you we were all too scared to come above." She said picking up a pantalets and staring at it. "Colors," she muttered softly and shook her head.

"How is this one?" I asked spying a white lace set and pointing them out to her. She looked at it critically.

"How about these for you, Alice?" She picked up a dark blue set with small white jewels in. I nodded in appreciation.

"They look good!"

"Would you like to try them on?" An employee asked sweetly. I nodded and took the set. Johanna followed with the colorful set she had been staring at and the white set – although it was one of three white sets we'd found in here so far – in her stained hands.

In the dressing rooms I had trouble reaching behind and closing the corset, or bra as Ali had called it. "You stupid piece of cloth!" I growled as I tried again to reach behind and close it.

"Alice do you need help in there?" Johanna called from behind the door.

"Maybe a little, I can't get the bra on!" I sighed in defeat.

"Open the door! No one else is here!"

Hesitantly I followed her instructions and Tarrant walked in. "Johanna's having a bit of her own trouble; I came in to help instead." He said blushing.

"Tarrant you don't have to," I said blushing brightly.

"Lass, I'm a milliner, I know what I'm doing." He sighed, still blushing, "Turn around!"

I blushed hotly and turned around any way. His scarred hands brushed my skin and I resisted the urge to jump, or moan, it felt incredible! He paused. "Did I startle you?" I nodded slowly.

"A little, but it felt nice!" I admitted. He again brushed his fingers over my skin and this time I allowed my self to respond. He grabbed the straps, allowing his knuckles to brush against my shoulder blades as he pulled them together and hooked them together. "Turn around again and let me see." I turned around a second time and faced him with a bright blush. "You have it on wrong." He sighed.

"How so?" I blushed as his gaze rested on my chest.

"You are supposed to… Lift yourself up when you put it on." He blushed a bright red and looked away in embarrassment.

"Oh," I said simply and did as he said. "Better?" He slowly looked back up and smiled shyly.

"Yes, an' might Ah add, Lass, yew look deligh'ful in tha'!" He burred, adding fuel to my blush. "Le' meh know if you nee' any more 'elp!" He whispered and kissed my temple. "Ah'll be out side." And then he left discreetly.

After we left that shop we made our way over to a small market like area where shops were selling food. We sat down and Ali left to get us some lunch, David sat with us, but didn't listen to what we were speaking about.

"You know their looking for us right? Do they have our pictures? I'm sure they have Johanna's but what about us? What will we do? How will we get back to London? What will we do about the Chavalier de l'Etoile? What has happened to Stayne? What…" Tarrant was suddenly cut off by an annoyed Johanna shoving a roll in his mouth that Ali had brought back.

"Stuff it, Tarrant!" She said and smirked at her unintended jest. Tarrant struggled to remove the roll from his mouth, but instead had to settle for taking a bite out of it and eating the piece in his mouth in order to remove it.

"I'm sure they have your pictures, we'll have to stop by a friend's house to see what they can do, a hair cut maybe, a coloring, a bit of straightening, that sort of stuff." Ali shrugged.

"No way, I'm not getting my hair cut!" Johanna shouted in alarm.

"Colored and straightened for you then?" Ali asked a little confused.

"If the coloring is light," Johanna shrugged.

"Okay then, I'll call and ask now!"


	17. Fight

**Alick-**

Johanna fidgeted next to me, combing her hair as we left the mall. I grabbed her hand and lowered it, "Stop it Love, you look perfect!" I whispered to her. She blushed brightly and looked at me skeptically. In truth one would normally think she'd been in another fight. Her red hair reached almost to the small of her back but was filthy and oily. She had dark bags beneath her eyes, and her skin was starting to pale, her façade was disappearing, and the red marks on her hands were returning to their gold coloring.

"Alick, don't lie, I look a mess. I haven't showered in months and I haven't had good nights sleep for years!" She said turning away from me.

"What were you even doing in the Outlands any way?" She gasped lightly and looked at me angrily.

"Who told you I've been in the Outlands?"

"I kind of figured out for myself. After all, you speak fluent modern and old Outlandish, as does your brother, but you have the better memory so you remembered Outlandish customs and terrain and such better. So wanting to fight you took over the Outlands, correct?" She looked at her feet and nodded.

"Yes, Tarrant didn't want me to fight, said he didn't want to loose the last of his family. But I said to him, 'If I can beat you at three warriors event you must let me join."

"And so, how many did you win?" Johanna shrugged.

"He beat me at claymore for swordsmanship, but I won the archery and choice weapon. He also beat me at jousting. He was true to his word; I beat him at two required warrior events, so he let me join. But we had to act as if we did not know the other was alive to keep them and ourselves safe." I smiled and took her hand.

"Thank goodness both for his wisdom and tradition, if your Uncle hadn't have taught you archery and rapier I'm sure you would be dead by now then." I sighed and lifted her hand to my lips. She blushed brightly when I kissed her knuckles and squeezed her hand. "We'll be home soon, I promise."

Alick-

Ali dropped off David at their home and took us to her friend's house. She knocked on the door but opened it any way.

"Yo, Hillary we're here! We're ready for the appointment!" she called as she walked in. There appeared to be no one home until a tall blonde woman walked in.

"Great timing Ali, so then, who's first?" no one moved forward. Johanna shifted nervously, choosing to be shy for once instead of her normally confident self.

"What are you scared of?" I asked as I stepped forward.

"Come on then!" Hillary shouted, she took my wrist and led us to the kitchens where a chair was set up in front of the seat. She sat me down and put a black cloak around me. "So then, what shall it be? Shall it be a cut, a shave, a trim, or a coloring for the brave gentleman?" I thought for a moment.

"I could use a shave, and a cut might be nice," I shrugged. She instructed me to lean back and just let her work.

She spent a while working on washing my hair before having me stand up and moving the chair. She then pulled out a pair of scissors and pulled me hair back, the scissors snipped and I felt the majority of my hair fall to the ground, she continued to cut my hair carefully for a while until finally she had finished, she then gave me a quick shave and took the cloak off of me. She handed me a mirror and I smiled at what I saw, my hair was still a little long, but less than two inches and I no longer had stubble. I thanked her and stood.

"Who's next? How about you then sir?" Tarrant nodded and stood up.

"You may have trouble with me, my hair is untamable." He said as he sat down and the cloak was placed on him. When Hillary finished his hair was neat and only mildly shorter, a little longer than mine, and his eye brows were trimmed and tamed.

Alice stood and allowed for a small trim, and allowed for something called a feather in her hair. Her hair was only about two inches shorter and of course there was that large blue feather that was in her hair as well.

When Johanna's turn came we practically had to drag her over. She simply refused to have her hair cut! At last, after a long and valiant struggle we got her in the chair. As Hillary washed her hair Alice asked me a question I'd been expecting for a while now.

"Why is she so reluctant to have her hair cut? I don't see what's wrong with it!" I shook my head and chuckled.

"It's an Outlandish custom, popular mostly among the Hightopps, for one not to cut their hair. It's a sign of maturity and growth. For men it shows their transfiguration from a boy to man, they do have it trimmed but never cut unless they are officially considered a man. For a woman it is an unspoken vow to keep their chastity and remain faithful to their clan, and in marriage their husband." I whispered.

"How was it started?" Alice smiled.

"I'll tell you," Tarrant raised his finger and smiled, then froze for a moment and admitted, frowning as he did so, "I don't know."

"No one does Alice, that's why clans, Outlandish ones especially, have Keepers, Historians as you would call them, who learn the entire history of the clan. Without our history and traditions we are lost. The little knowledge Johanna has with the Balal Shinar's interactions with the Hightopps will be the only knowledge we'll have of him if we are you avoid him and return to Underland." I said to Alice, smiling at Tarrant as he tried to remember how it was started.

"We're not returning to Underland Alick," Johanna suddenly said; walking over to me with trimmed hair and, oh, bangs! That new look made her look all too impish yet innocent at the same time.

"Why aren't we returning Johanna?" Alice suddenly snapped me out of my little trance. Johanna took a seat next to me while Ali, our guide and helper, talked to Hillary.

"We must stop the Balal Shinar, he's up to something, and I'm afraid of what it is. What I mean to say is: I feel there was a reason behind us being bound. Like he was after us and our parents were trying to protect us, I mean think about it, why would Stayne be after us after he got his revenge unless there was something new driving him? I was in the room when he woke up, he didn't act like he normally did. He would never go after someone he was enemies with unless he had a weapon. He didn't but he still grabbed me. Something new is motivating him, and I think it has something to do with the Balal Shinar, the devil!"

"I agree with Johanna, we have to find a way to confront him," Tarrant suddenly spoke up.

"No, if we get to Underland before the twelfth moon he won't be able to touch us, Tarrant, let's just go home!" Alice begged him, gripping his hands on the table tightly.

"I agree with the Champion, our mission should be peaceful, not offensive, I say we return to Underland!" I said, oh that really was the wrong thing to say! Johanna would be crushed.

"That sounds about right Alick, given your clans' history and posh life in the Palace and Castle! You've never been under direct attack, so you can't even identify when you are in danger. It's always been the Queen that has been under attack that you and your clansmen defend! Do you never care about some one else's safety and siding with the commoners?" Johanna shouted and stood, she stomped into the front room, growling to release her anger.

"Johanna, come back here," Tarrant said, standing and chasing her to the front room.

Now that blow was painful. Painful because it was she who had said it, but deadly because what she had said was true. The woman I loved hated my clan and me merely because we were different and had different codes. Yes Calders have had an easy life when compared to others, but our life was hard too! We had to devote ourselves to our king and queen, we had to put love aside to marry only those that would bear us sons and keep our women safe! We had to sacrifice our freedoms to keep the royal family and the people of Underland safe! Her clan was full of tradesmen and women! They never had to put anything they wanted aside and perform their duty, they could do both and there would be no objection or anything wrong with that!

Why did our parents even think it would be a good idea to bind us if they knew we were so different? Alice and Tarrant were just fine, they were exactly alike and wouldn't fight, but they must have known about Johanna and I, had they not even considered that we would not be right for each other? Had they merely wished to bind us because of the rising danger?

Well, needless to say, she didn't talk to me the ride back to Ali's or even after that. In fact she didn't even glance at me during dinner, and then after that she came into our guest room, grabbed her night things and left. Once again, needless to say I had an uneasy sleep waiting to see if she'd return or sleep in her brother's room. However by morning I was proved doubly wrong when I found her sleeping on the couch of the living room, some how managing to sleep through the three little children quarreling for the small remote to control the Television.

I wonder if she was still angry with me.

**Johanna-**

I know, it was wrong of me to snap out at Alick like that, but I was born a Hightopp, and Hightopps are proud of their heritage and ancestry. My clan has been through more than it's fare share of hardships, and it upsets me when people are too scared to switch from defensive to offensive. Then again traumas from the Outlands just might have added to that.

Tarrant, when he allowed the Outlandish division of the U.U.R. to be created, meant for it to be defensive, and for a long time we were! But one wrong move started a course of action that completely switched most of our followers to offensive, and yes I did originally intend to follow Tarrant's orders, he was after all my commanding officer! But maybe the switch to offense had something to do with when the reds were trying to pass behind the mountains and into Marmoreal, my long time best friend, who'd I'd always considered a sister, took a blow or me.

I remember being so full of anger and rage, I injured or killed every red I could see. I realize now just how horrible that was, after all, many of them were being forced to fight, and many of them were under the youngest limit we would allow of fifteen summers. Many of our own had lied about there age as well simply to help defend their families and friends.

I guess this was something Alick also had to deal with. The loss of fellow knights that served his queen, I mean other than that his life would naturally be posh and safe. And then, he'd had to suffer for thirteen summers with out the knowledge of who had survived, and who was alive. If_ I_ had survived the attack and was still alive…

But yet again, part of the reason that I fought against the reds was because I felt guilty and wanted to avenge him and his clan, I mean I thought he was dead too! And now here we are, alive, and arguing over another possible war! Why can't he see that I'm right? Defense is not the way we want to go if we want to survive this!

**Tarrant-**

They still hadn't spoken, here it was after midday and as hard as Alick had tried Johanna had continued to ignore him. Alice had tried talking to Alice and convincing her to stop arguing and take Alick's side, unfortunately this some how had an opposite effect of making her even more stubborn.

She was acting like a stubborn child! Why can't she just talk it out with him? In fact, I believe that's what I'm going to do, I'm going to convince her to talk to him, she'd listen to me after all, I'm her brother! Older brother actually, so that demands more respect.

I stood from my seat in the living room and slowly made my way outside to find Johanna. "Where are you going Tarrant?" Alice called from behind me.

"This fight is stupid; I'm going to make them talk it out." I answered and went outside. "Johanna, we need to talk!" I said to her as she sat in one of the trees.

"Tarrant I'm done talking, just leave me alone!" she growled, typical of her!

"Then you will listen to me, this fight between you and Alick has gone far enough, you two are both warriors, what ever happened to Grandfather's saying, The pen is mightier than the sword? Just talk it out with him; every time he tries to apologies and work it out, you ignore him! I'm sick and tired of it now you go in there and apologies for you behavior and talk it out!" Instead of listening to me, she turned the opposite direction from me and remained silent. I sighed and shrugged, "Or we could do this the hard way," I pushed her off the branch; she gave a loud yelp as she fell and landed in my waiting arms. I slung her over my shoulder and carried her inside. She was shouting Outlandish curses at me and saying in the same language to put her down and in no specific terms just where I could put my opinions.

I carried her, kicking and hitting me all the while; to the room she was supposed to share with Alick and dropped her down onto the bed beside her, Alick for his part was purely shocked to see her. "Now I will stand at that door until you apologies for your behavior and agree to talk to him!" again she looked away from me and refused to speak. "Dammit Johanna," I just about screamed.

And then I did the one thing I'd never done to any family member, I slapped my younger sister. She gasped in surprise and touched her cheek, tears of betrayal and anger watering her eyes and slowly rolling down her cheeks. My hands shook from the rage and anger I felt, the adrenaline rush wasn't helping any. "Grow up Johanna!" I said and left the room, slamming the door behind me.

I slumped against it and slid down its wooden surface until I was sitting against it. I sighed and rubbed my head. "Why are you crying Tarrant? What's wrong?" Alice asked suddenly at my side. I hadn't even realized I was crying.

"I got angry with Johanna, and I hit her." I admitted, "I mean, I didn't want to, but I did because I was angry with her and she wouldn't grow up! Am I a bad person for that?" I looked to Alice for reassurance. She shook her head and smiled warmly.

"No, you slipped, you do love your sister dearly ad by hitting her you were helping her wake up. I'm sue Annie will forgive you."

"Thank you Alice," I said and hugged her.

"And besides, I should probably apologies for my behavior as well; I guess it would be smarter to go offensive, after all he would never expect us to do that. Come on, Sabrina might need some help in the Kitchens for lunch."

**Alick-**

Johanna sat awkwardly next to me, sniffing and rubbing her swelling cheek. I frowned, after all this was my fault this whole argument started. I went with my first instinct and chose the peaceful method instead of the safer one. Maybe Johanna and Tarrant were right in the sense that offense is sometimes the best defense.

I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her tightly to me.

"I'm sorry for treating you so poorly Alick, my brother was right, I was acting like a spoiled child." She mumbled against my shoulder. I squeezed her tighter.

"You were right though, my clan doesn't know offense any longer. Your plan is dangerous, but safer than avoiding the Balal Shinar, I should have listened, after all your knowledge is greater than mine, and for that my Love I am sorry as well."

Johanna pulled away and placed both her scarred and gold stained hands on my cheeks. "Don't be sorry, be correct." She whispered and kissed me. "I love you Alick," she whispered against my lips.

I slowly pushed her down on the bed, "I love you as well my Johanna."

**Tarrant-**

Alick and Johanna at last came out of their room, holding each other's hands. I ran to them and hugged Johanna, apologizing for hitting her. She merely hugged me back. "No apology is necessary. That strike was my slap to reality exactly what I needed. I treated you all horrible and I am sorry for that."

"And I am sorry, Tarrant you are our leader, I shouldn't have gone against you. No matter the decision made I will follow, Faithfully this time my brother." Alick said, placing his hand on my shoulder.

**AN: This chapter is dedicated to xXDeadlyNightshadeXx from Deviantart as thanks for a picture she did for me of Johanna. Thank you very much my dear friend! *hug***


	18. Travel

**AN: Important note at end!**

**Johanna-**

Okay so I'll admit it, old habits die hard. We were to leave tomorrow by car for New York where we would then _fly_ to Great Britain. Honestly I don't trust that it will work but I have been constantly reassured that we will be fine. Any how that's not the old habit of which I speak. Here we were to travel first thing tomorrow morning and I was sitting at a piano playing a song! But I couldn't help it! I hadn't written or played a song for years! I know Alick is likely still awake waiting for my return to our room.

Just one more time and I'll go back to bed.

**Alice-**

In the morning we changed quickly and got into a large car they called a RV. A few hours of boredom later David sat across from us playing his guitar and singing a song. "Life is a Highway" he had called it. Ali and Johanna sat on the bunk above the driver area, playing a game of "Texas Hold 'Em" as Ali had called it. Tarrant was staring out the window, dazed by all the new sites of Cheyenne, Wyoming. That left me alone to… Actually I don't know quiet what I was doing any more, I was in another daze.

One of Ali's younger sisters had come straight up to me and asked me if I could braid her hair, some how that had ended with me styling the hair of all five of the little girls. Now I was braiding thread as they had instructed. I believe they mentioned something about bracelets?

Suddenly Johanna gave a loud curse in Outlandish and Alick laughed at his wife. "Two pair, how did you get a two pair of ten?" She screeched.

"Doesn't matter how, I win!" Ali laughed at her. "And a two pair of ten beats a two pair of eight, you went all in, so I win!" Ali and Alick laughed loudly.

We stopped that night in a rest stop in Nebraska, Ali, Tarrant, Alick, Johanna and I slept on the bunk above the driver's area. Tarrant and I shared a blanket, as did Johanna and Alick, Ali slept alone closer to the window. The night was cold, but I found that it was warmer if I moved closer to Hatter, who also until I had moved closer was shivering as well. Ali's blanket was thicker and warmer than ours so I had no worries about her and Johanna and Alick were getting along well enough again that they curled into each other tightly. Some how in the middle of the night Johanna had ended up laying on top of Alick's, and Tarrant's arms were wrapped around me in a possessive hold, his warm breath wisped down the back of my neck and made me shiver harder than when I was cold. Apparently Tarrant did think it was the cold and merely pulled me closer; my wonderful Hatter, a gentleman even in his sleep!

When I woke the next morning Tarrant and Johanna were missing. I climbed down from the bunk slowly; I hissed when I felt how cold the floor was and fumbled to get my robe and slippers on. On my way to grab my robe I got a look out the window and saw Tarrant and Johanna kneeling on both knees, Tarrant and Johanna both faced the East.

Curious as usual I reached for the door to go out side and check on them. A very warm hand suddenly grabbed mine before it could touch the handle.

"I don't suggest that your majesty," Alick said to me. I turned around and faced him; he released my hand and bowed like a knight to his queen.

"Why ever not Alick?" my eyebrows rose to my hair line.

"They are praying, they are Outlanders after all." He said seriously.

"To god?" Alick chuckled and shook his head.

"Outlanders, most of them at least, do not have the same religion or beliefs."

"Then who do they pray to?"

"I know not who Tarrant prays to today, but Johanna mentioned last night that she intended to pray to Nashite and Shatabi, the goddesses of women. She is praying that the infection will be officially removed and that you and she will be protected for when the Balal Shinar is confronted." He explained with a far away look in his eyes.

"Do you think their Gods will listen to them?" Alick nodded confidently.

"Yes, Gods always listen to the leaders and keepers of their clan's. When they are their favored clan, they listen to all." He shrugged.

"So are Nashite and Shatabi Hightopp Goddesses?" He shook his head.

"I don't know who they are, but I know Nashite and Shatabi are not. Johanna prays to them because they are the goddesses of Mara and Sariah's clan."

"What is their clan?" Alick frowned and stared at his wife and brother-in-law through the window, they hadn't moved once.

"They were of the Caristma Clan, but after their mother died and their father was imprisoned by the Red Queen, they were adopted into my clan. They became my cousin's but kept their names."

I stared out the window at Tarrant as he knelt down, from this angle and I could barely see his lips move as he gripped his hands together and kept his eyes shut.

"Do you know how long they will pray?"

"They start any where from a few hours before sunrise to the entire night. They aren't likely to stop until the sun kisses their faces so to say." I looked at him, what would that mean? "I mean, the sun touches their faces as in they can feel it and see it's light."

"Speaking of which Alice," I jumped and yelped when I suddenly heard Tarrant's voice behind me. I blushed when I realized I had been so busy listening to Alick I hadn't even heard the doors open and Tarrant come in. "Will you let me in please Alice? Johanna is right behind me and she can have a right nasty temper first thing in the morning." I jumped out of the way and Tarrant and Annie hurried inside.

Johanna snorted, "You better be happy that worked Tarrant, or else I'd have slugged you real good!" Tarrant merely laughed.

**AN: Okay, so with how this book is turning out, it may be possible that there will be a third book, in which case I need help with a vote, the poll will be up on my page, Do you think book three should be in screen play or in regular book format? Please go to my profile and vote beacause the fate of Alice, Tarrant, and company relies on you! *points at the readers***

**Tarrant: It's not nice to point Nutty!**

**Me: Too bad!**


	19. Music

Johanna-

It was a few days later when we arrive in Dayton, Ohio. I sighed when I realized that meant not only about two or three more days of traveling in this bloody RV, but also that we were almost to England, to the Balal Shinar and to home.

Alick held me tightly from behind as we half sat half lay on the bunk above the driver's area. David had been kind to me and allowed me o borrow his guitar while he watched the four little girls and Ali. I will admit, at first I really had no clue how to play it, but after a few moments – and some fine tuning – I discovered that – not only was David's automatic tuner some how set to cello - this guitar was not unlike the ones from our world.

Alice sat on Tarrant's crossed legs, he was helping her learn to play Ali's guitar, as it was smaller and easier for her to play and reach the strings.

"Where did you learn to play?" Alice asked and looked for the high E string.

"Bottom string Love and don't forget to move your left hand on the frets." He instructed, "My friend Greylen taught me, but my first instrument was really the flute. Move your finger Love," He reminded.

"Alick, do you know how to play the Guitar?" Alick chuckled, oh! That felt so odd and wonderful and …

"_Ge' yehr hed ou' a the gu'er yeh codfish!_" A loud and high pitched voice screamed in my head and echoed. I jumped slightly, luckily no one but Alick really noticed the actual reason.

"These are right handed guitars, I'm left handed Alice. I can't play these." Alick frowned.

"I'm sorry Alick; it was rude of me to ask." Alick nodded.

"Rude yes, but completely acceptable Alice," Alick replied.

"Still, I'm sorry for that." Tarrant gripped her chin and turned her to face him.

"Don't be sorry, be correct." He whispered and kissed him. Oh – my in love – brother!

Chavalier de l'Etoile-

The altar was ready. Pure black obsidian with silver inlaying, and indentation along the edges for blood to flow and long and travel onto the earth that was ready to be finished. I already had two of the four required sacrifices. But the last two were already on their way.

Of course they had already learned that the Looking Glasses were broken, and so to return they were using the rabbit holes, well then…How would they do with a trap placed in the rabbit hole that may just claim their lives?


	20. Flight

**Tarrant-**

We packed our items back into their cases and went down stairs to hail a cab. After Ali and David had tried for about ten minutes Johanna did the most absurd thing! She walked a short distance off from us and undid her tied hair and lifted her pants to reveal her ankle. Less than a few seconds later a cab with an ugly looking driver stopped right in front of us. She waved us over and only after all six of us managed to climb into the van cab did Johanna show him the small gold band Alick had placed around her finger.

Needless to say the cab driver did nothing more than ask us where we were going, drive us, and then tell David how much the ride was.

I heard David mumble as we got out, "she plays guitar, she's sexy, and she can get a cab in New York City!"

Alick held her a little tighter after that.

**Alice-**

The process of getting on the plane was long and confusing, but with the help and guidance of Ali, David, and their family who met us at the airport we managed to make it safely and without mistakes onto the plane.

Now if only it would take off!

"When do you think their going to leave Hatter?" I asked. He sat right next to me, Annie and Alick were behind us, and Ali and her half-brother were behind them.

There was no one on this plane but us, Ali, and her family; didn't they say something about a private jet?

At last the pilot told us to put our seatbelts on get ready to take off. The sensation of the plane lifting from the ground was thrilling; although I did find my self clinging to Tarrant for fear that we would fall.

**Tarrant-**

"You know, you guys are lucky this is my dad's private jet, because since you guys don't have passports it would be impossible for you to get to the UK you know." Ali commented as we sat, bored out of our minds.

"I guess we are more fortunate to have been found by you, but may I ask, how did your Father gain this vessel?" Alice sat forward.

"My ancestor, Henry Kingsleigh, remember? Well his father owned a Trade company that became rich; he inherited a part of it after his sister disappeared. The Kingsleigh trade company is now owned by four families, the Kingsleighs, the Ascots, the Clarksons, and the Manchesters."

Seven hours or more later the pilot informed us that we were ready to touch down in England and to fasten our seatbelts.

"Alice, Johanna, Alick, Tarrant, you guys are with me, I'm going to be taking you to the old Ascot estate so you guys can get to home. I'll rent a car and drop you off there, and then I'm going up to Edinburg to meet with my family, understand?" We nodded, oddly in unison, "Good, so stick with me!"

We took a 'bus' that had two areas for sitting and then walked until we came to a place where Ali filled out some papers, paid with English money, got a set of keys and a car then drove us out of the dirty and crowded streets of London, England.


	21. The Plan

**Chavalier De l'Etoile-**

"You have failed to stop them! They are already in England and are nearing the rabbit hole, and you are dead! You were killed by a policeman as you were running away from them to catch up with the ones I have marked!" I was in ragged.

Ilosovic Stayne had failed to finish them off and now they were nearing the rabbit hole and I was running out of time.

"Master, I beg you, give me one more chance and I will deliver them to you." I glared at him but considered this.

"Can you guarantee to deliver tem directly to me?"

"Free delivery and gift wrapped if you prefer."

I growled and threw my black crystal goblet at the wall; it smashed to thousands of pieces, the dark red blood in it splashing every where.

"You had your chance Ilosovic Stayne! But I will still need you for my new plan."

"Anything Master, anything," He knelt and bowed to the ground.

"I need you to ensure that they make it to the rabbit hole. I have a trap waiting for them and I need you to force them into it. You are to take poisoned arrows and your sword with you and use them to force them in. You are to take Matilda as well. You two are to ambush them and give them no alternative but to go down the rabbit hole and into the trap. Go ahead and kill the Hatter and White Knight, I'll have them either way, but I need the Blue Queen and the Composer alive!"

"My Lord, I thought you wanted her dead, not alive." Matilda said from next to me, "What is the point in keeping her and the Blue Queen alive?"

"The blood of the seal must be fresh, in case you forgot I did not originally intend her as my seal. I also need the bodies of the sacrifices perfectly preserved that I may spill their blood while it is still warm."

"But isn't the Hightopp woman's blood tainted with that of her brother?" I waved a hand at her in dismissal.

"That is of no consequence, his blood is her blood as well you fool!"

She stared at me, of course she would think of another question for me.

"Then why must the sacrifices be women? Surely now that the Mad Hatter is bound to the Queen that makes him a royal as well, surely we could use him?"

"No," she jumped, "The Hatter is not born of royal blood, and I refuse to use him as either of the sacrifices or the seal!" Matilda bowed to me.

"Yes my Master."

"Just bring me the women alive if you can manage to, do what you like with the men, and Stayne," he looked up at me, eager to make amends for his earlier mistakes, "Do not touch either of the women, Alice especially, go ahead and kill the Knight and Hatter."

"Yes my Lord, I will!"

So speaks the pathetic excuse for a soldier.

"My Lord, what of their guide if she is still with them and has not left to rejoin her family in the North?"

"Kill her; she is of no use to me."

"But she is a royal as well! She is a descendent of Henry Kingsleigh, the son of the White prince!" She objected.

I stood and slapped her across her cheek, "Do not question my ruling! Once I have Alice and her naïve friend I will have no need for a future generation, they have been marked!"

"My Master, forgive me! But what of your uncle, Lord Ashair is sure to notice that his chosen clan is in danger! Do you not think he will do something to protect them? Don't you think that Lord Abdulkareem will notice that two of his last three are in danger as well? And Alice is a royal that means that Lady Ersilia is bound to attempt to save her!"

"Forget the other guardians! They have no power to protect them until they reach the end of the rabbit hole! I will have them, one way or another, Matilda. Believe me I will have them to create my own world to rule!"


	22. Battle

**Tarrant-**

We pulled up to the long drive outside the Ascot's home and Ali parked the car and stepped out. "My cousins are inside, while I walk in and distract them, you four make your way to the rabbit hole and move as quickly and quietly as possible. Good luck my friends, I won't forget you." She smiled and started walking toward the door.

"Wait," Alice caught her arm. "If you want to know more about Alice Kingsleigh and the man she left with, look in the basement of the Manchester home."

"I already have," Ali shook her head.

"No, there is a trap door that leads to another basement. It's covered by a hard wood floor though, but the boards creak heavily and are easily removed." Ali nodded in excitement.

"Yes, I do believe I know the place that you speak of. I promise that I shall check it out. Thank you Alice," she smiled, squeezed Alice's hand and knocked on the door.

The cousins before mentioned opened the door and immediately ushered her in. When they were out of sight we left the car. As soon as I was out I felt a tugging sensation, as if something was calling me. I looked to the others, my family, and from the looks on their faces they could feel it too.

"'Tis natural," Johanna murmured, shaking her head.

"And who said that?" I smirked.

"Grandfather Johan Hightopp, the last Clan Keeper," She said and followed Alice to the gate.

As we grew ever closer the call became stronger, it was hard to resist running straight to that blasted rabbit hole and jumping right in. It was merely a few feet away from us now!

"I don't know about you, but I've got a horrible feeling suddenly." Alick said, looking around warily and stopping.

"Yea, I can tell. You're always so tense, just calm down for once." Johanna rolled her eyes at him.

I gave a sudden stop as I felt a stabbing sensation in my sides and back. "Alice, Johanna wait." They stopped and stared at me.

"What's wrong?" I hissed at Johanna to silence her and tried to focus.

"You feel it too then Tarrant?" Alick said next to me. I nodded.

"What are you…?" I cut her off.

"Johanna, just focus, what are you feeling right now?" She closed her eyes and breathed deeply.

"Stabbing pains, all over my body, and sickness, just like..." She gasped. "Just like when I was with the Balal Shinar!"

"Is it just me, or is it suddenly very cold here?" Alice shivered. In truth it must have been at least fifty degrees Celsius, or eighty two degrees Fahrenheit. It was also very humid and polluted in England.

"So you feel it too Alice, I think it's a warning. Maybe we should find a different way home." Johanna said sadly.

"Or maybe you four should just continue to the Rabbit Hole and get down there…Unless you want to die!" I new, feminine voice said.

Such theatrics, my how I was getting tired of them! Behind us stood a woman, tall and overly slender with long gold hair and a single black streak down the left side of the part, sad brown eyes, and tan skin. Next to her stood Ilosovic Stayne, bow drawn and ready to fire.

"Alice, when I say go, go down the rabbit hole, Johanna you follow. Alick, do you mind covering us? Can you handle Stayne?"

Alick nodded and formed fists with his hands, "I can handle them both, and don't you worry about it!"

"Good, Alice, go, now!" reluctantly she ran the few feet to the Gate and jumped in. At that exact same moment Alick ran at the woman, with her sword drawn, and did his best to distract her while Johanna ran to the hole. I followed close behind her. I suddenly heard Alick give a loud cry of pain.

One of Stayne's arrows was stuck in his right shoulder. "Alick," Johanna screamed and tried to run to him. This being counter productive I was forced to grab her around her waist.

"Johanna, you have to let him go. I promise, we will catch up to you and we will return safely." I whispered and dropped her into the hole.

Alick was on the ground, grabbing the arrow, blood flowing freely between his fingers. The Woman did not move toward us, Stayne however was beginning to close in, his sword drawn.

"Alick, hang on," I said and broke the arrow and pulled it out of his shoulder. He gave a loud scream, I was forced to drag him to the hole and allow him to drop down.

I used my own body to cushion him when we landed, and oh! Even after all these years he was still very heavy! Johanna and Alice rushed to us; Johanna helped Alick off me and wrapped his opposite arm around her shoulders. Alice helped me sit up and kissed my temple.

"Where are we?" I groaned and looked around. The world was dark and full of ruins. It was nothing like the end of the rabbit hole.

"I don't know, but I don't like, the pains are getting worse!" Johanna said and looked around.

'You are, once more, in a world between worlds." We turned behind us, again with the theatrics, and found three celestial beings behind us.

"Please, do not worry!" the woman said, "I am Lady Ersilia, Goddess of the Royals. This is Lord Abdulkareem, Lord of the Calder clan. This gentleman is, and I believe you know, Tarrant especially, is Lord Ashair, also known as Time."

The Lord tipped his black top hat. "Greeting Tarrant, tried killing me lately?" I found myself flushing.

The Lady was of golden hair, like gold wheat, dark brown eyes, like the White Queen, and creamy skin, a dress of reds, whites, and blues adorned her body like flowing silk or spider webs.

Lord Abdulkareem was a proud looking Lord, dressed all in white with tied back brown hair and blue eyes; he looked about a full foot taller than Alick.

Lord Ashair was perhaps the most different then all of him, his clothes consisted of every color imaginable, and then some. He whore his, as mentioned before, black top hat atop his head at a rakish and daring angle. His hair was long and black, but bright and piercing green eyes stared back at us with intense fascination.

"We are here to assist you as much as we can…" Lord Abdulkareem was suddenly cut off by a loud roar and the appearance of a beast close by.

"Oh," the curse that Alick was saying was suddenly cut off by the roar of the creature.

**Johanna-**

Good gods, this monster was, if possible, perhaps stronger, fiercer – and uglier – than the Jabberwocky! The Balal Shinar certainly did favor the dragon design in many of his creatures!

It glared at us with burning orange eyes, like a smoldering fire, it possessed a blood stained gold belly and claws, thick red scales decorating it's body, sharp teeth with saber toothed tiger like fangs, and long green horns. The demon's creation stood hundreds of times taller than Alick who stood six feet tall, seven inches above Tarrant's height and you likely get the picture.

"Hold demon," Lord Ashair roared, and suddenly the monster froze in place.

"Quickly, there are only two things we can do to help you, Lady Ersilia said, she watched us carefully and suddenly I felt my body strengthened. Alick no longer needed my help to stand and his shoulder wasn't bleeding. Lord Abdulkareem waved his hands toward us and multiple colors shot out of his finger tips and covered us.

My whole body tingled with a cold yet… flaming sensation. Like I was being burnt by ice! I stared at my hand as green lights flashed and twinkled on my skin, and the skin of my family. A silver gauntlet and heavy but familiar weights rested on my body. I lifted my right arm and found my brown glove and silver arm guard on me. The same was on my left.

I looked down and found my upper body covered by light and clothing, and my lower half was covered by my clan's tartan, sandals strapped my feet. My battle tartan! Strapped to my waist was my rapier sword, on my back was a quiver of arrows, a bow strapped to my side and knifes in the pouches of my belt. My hair was also tied up to prevent from getting in my way and making it easier to stay cool during a fight.

I glanced over to Tarrant and found him in his traditional battle tartan as well, his claymore in his hands.

Alice was in the champion's armor, the Vorpal blade in her hand and her hair tied at the top of her head like me and for the same reasons.

Alick was in full armor as well; his white armor from before Horvendush day and his sword had been returned to him. He hefted the sword with his left arm and looked purely delighted when he felt the familiar weight in his hands again.

"You have been healed and blessed with your battle regalia and armory and weapons. Use them well and defeat the Chavalier De l'Etoile, only then will you bee allowed to return to Underland safely. Good luck." Lady Ersilia said and the two lords and lady disappeared.

The monster was suddenly unfrozen and roared loud enough to shake this temporary world.

"The bigger they are, the harder they fall!" Alick said and rushed right at it. I guess he had learned something from our earlier fight. He jumped at it; the monster crouched on all fours and swiped at him with a large paw. Alick went flying back and Tarrant took a turn, he swiped at the monster's wrist and cut it. The monster reared back and gave a loud screech of pain, the used it's tail to throw him back.

"It's joints," Alick suddenly shouted loudly.

"What on Earth is that supposed to mean?" Alice shouted as she ran at the creature, her sword connecting with it's elbow.

"It's joints are it's weak points, go for them!" he shouted, I suppose it was my turn now. I reached for my sword, "No Johanna, do you have flaming arrows with you?" I nodded, "Use your lighter and shoot the arrows at it's eyes to distract it from us, it will give us a chance to attack it." I nodded and instead drew an arrow as the others ran at the demon.

I light the first flaming arrow I could and loaded it then aimed carefully and released the arrow. The arrow struck between the creature's eyes. It waved franticly at the fire and attempted to keep it from blinding him.

The others took this as their opportunity to attack the creature, slashing at it's joints, blood spraying every where. "Johanna, get to a higher point, now!" Tarrant shouted and pointed at one of the ruins. I ran to the stairs and climbed them as quickly as possible and light another. I drew the arrow back and shot the monster between the eyes again.

This time the creature would have none of that and instead attacked at the ruins, destroying them. The ground crumpled underneath me and I suddenly found myself falling, my arrows falling out of their bow and my bow falling and breaking on the ground.

I grabbed at something, anything really, and found a cold bar suddenly in my hands. I clung tightly at it for dear life.

"Johanna, hang on I'm coming up." Alick shouted from below me.

"No, he's almost finished! Help Alice and Tarrant defeat the monster!" I struggled to pull myself up and found to my mortification that I was slipping and loosing my grip.

The monster fell to the ground, causing the whole of this temporary world to shake violently. The bar came loose from my grasp and I fell onto the back of the demon.

"Alice, you sword is meant for these demons, destroy it like you did the Jabberwocky!" Tarrant shouted. Alice ran at the creature and in one smooth swing, cut off it's head.

The monster was finished.

We all lay back panting and struggling for breath. I let myself roll off its back and into the crook of its elbow.

"I never want to be a dragon slayer again!" I gasped.

"You okay?" Alice asked as she grabbed my wrists and helped me stand.

"Ya, somehow my gloves helped me keep a grip on a bar, I was doing mostly fine until the beast fell. But it's a good thing it landed where it did, or else I'd have been scrambled Jo, breakfast for that creature." I said with a wince as my arms were stretched the wrong way.

"Sorry," she gasped.

"No, I'll be fine, I should have been more careful! Just let me…" I bent backwards and felt my back pop loudly. "Much better," I sighed and the world made a sudden shift.

**Alick-**

We found ourselves in a dark throne room, black marble, dark velvet curtains, and a tall window with black panes behind a huge black throne chair. The room itself appeared to be as large as where the Jabberwocky attacked us on Horvendush day.

"Johanna, so glad to see you again, and I see you've brought friends this time! How wonderful," A voice said, a man suddenly appeared before us from a cloud of smoke. And oh was he hideous!

He was a man dressed all in black, his fingernails were red and his hair was the same silver mist as the sky, his skin, if at all possible, was paler and whiter than Tarrant's. He possessed black lips black shadows around eyes, his ears were pointed and his nose was long, sharp teeth protruded from his mouth and black saliva drooled from his lips, but his eyes were the most unusual thing, they were a dull and lifeless mother of pearl and had no real solid color, but at this exact moment it seemed as if red was the dominating color in them.

"I see Stayne kept his promise and led you here, although it appears that he and Matilda failed to execute the Hatter and the Knight. I knew I shouldn't have trusted that little girl to kill the Hatter, that sentimental fool!"

"She is your creation is she not?" Alice growled.

"She seemed so sad, Alick I'm sure she's no creation of his… But then…she looked so familiar!" the devil nodded.

"You have a memory of her, yet you can not place it. Tell me, do you remember a little girl named Terressa?"

Tarrant growled, "Why do you mention our unborn sister?" His free hand balled into a fist and his other hand gripped his sword tightly.

"She died during childbirth correct? Well I was able to claim her. That was what inspired me. She was lost and so easy to take; I figured I would be able to steal other souls from their rest. Soon I had so many that they became a collection and I just found my self not only needing all of them, but also a world to hold them. And now we can begin, that is, as soon as the extras are dealt with!" Black smoke formed and compressed into the shape of a long sword, the devil gripped the weapon's hilt and prepared to attack us.

"You devil, you don't deserve to live!" Johanna screamed and drew her sword, we all rushed at him.

The devil pushed Johanna away easily, hitting her head hard as he did so, and was ready when Tarrant came next, he kicked him in his side, Tarrant coughed for breathe and collapsed, forced to roll away as Alice came at him. She made a strong swing for his head; he blocked he attack and grabbed her throat with his opposite hand, the Vorpal blade fell from Alice's hands.

I ran at the demon, sword ready and cut off the hand that held Alice, she fell to the ground, gasping for breath and fumbling for her sword. Blackish red blood dripped from the devil's arm where I had cut his hand off.

He smiled and attacked me with his sword; he was strong, very strong! I suddenly found, with one of his strong swings, that my sword was no longer in my hands; I was at what little mercy he possessed. He smiled and raised his sword to strike me.

Suddenly there was another blade at his throat. "Don't you dare…" the voice seethed. It was Tarrant, he had just saved me! "Fight me, unless you're afraid I'll win." The devil smirked and backed away from me.

I ran to Johanna's side, she was coming too after that hit to her head and was struggling to keep her eyes open.

I heard a loud yelp and turned to see Tarrant on the ground, his claymore barely out of his reach and the devil's sword about to pierce his heart. Johanna and I grabbed our swords and ran at the devil, however it was Alice's blade that distracted the devil long enough for Tarrant to grab his sword, kick the devil's stomach, trip him and cause him to land on the ground.

The devil's blade fell with a loud clatter of metal and disappeared entirely.

"Now demon, to finish you off!" to our surprise the Balal Shinar began laughing hysterically. "What's so funny?"

"You realize of course, that if you do that the entire fabric will become unraveled and ruined? Without me altering my uncle's plans you would all be dead by now. You two," he pointed at Johanna and me, "Would be dead murdered by my Jabberwocky, lovers trying to protect each other, a horrible tale. Alice would have returned above, gone to China and failed, only to be set in an arranged marriage. But I believe your's is the worst of all. An unfortunate soul who fell in love with the Champion, devastated by her leaving, and so on the fourth anniversary of the Frabjous day, which would also happen to be her birthday according to the calendars written, you would go to the graveyard where your family was buried and slit your throat, spilling your own blood on the graves of your deceased parents." He laughed; a sound like nails on a chalkboard. "So you see; you can not live a life of happiness without me!"

"I'd rather die than be ruled by you," Tarrant stated. Alice nodded.

"I'm with Tarrant; I'd rather be in an arranged marriage than be ruled by a devil!"

"I would rather be dead as well," Johanna spoke up and I nodded my agreement.

**Johanna-**

"Hold up guys, wait a minute, wait!" I screamed when realization hit me like a charging bandersnatch.

"Johanna what's gotten into you?" Tarrant questioned me and stared a little angrily.

"Without the influence of the Balal Shinar things may have turned out differently, but maybe in a good way! Think about it, there never would have been a Jabberwocky, and where would that lead?" They stared at me.

"I think Johanna is on to something here. I agree with her, I think we should finish him off together, here and now! No matter the outcome at least we and all others will at last be safe." Alick spoke up.

Tarrant nodded and raised his claymore to the demon; Alice did the same with the Vorpal Blade. Alick raised his long sword and pointed it at the Chavalier De l'Etoile's heart. I raised my sword with some difficulty and pointed it at his chest as well.

The demon flinched away from us and covered his face with his hand. Fear gripped him and his pupils shrank. He was now powerless against us.

"On the count of five, one." Tarrant started.

"Two," Alice.

"Three," me. Oh, that was a rhyme!

"Four," Alick.

"Five!" We shouted in unison and thrust our blades into the demon's heart of black ice.

**AN: Hey guys, just about two or three more chapters left. No longer will there be a sequal, sorry guys!**


	23. Return

Johanna-

Black light shot out of the four gaping holes in the demon's chest. There was a loud sound, like a huge explosion, dark clouds formed around the devil and came at us as his body fell to the cold black ground. They attacked us with surprisingly real claws and teeth that shredded our clothes and dented and cut Alice and Alick's armor. One of them raked their long claws down my back, I'm sure the wound was bleeding badly. Another went for Tarrant's throat, he swiped at it with his sword and like smoke the hand disappeared but then reappeared, ready to strike again. One of the shadow creatures was pulling on Alice's hair and had teamed with another that held her sword arm so she could do nothing to stop them. Alick fought against a shadow directly in front of him, but like Tarrant each time he attacked the shadow it would disappear and reappear. There were hundreds of them!

They could touch us, we just couldn't touch them!

They were over powering us and forcing us to the ground, we couldn't move, we couldn't fight and the darkness was over powering and suffocating us! My head was spinning and felt light and empty like when I was dying. They were killing us! They were killing us with their presence, the sight of them; everything about them was killing us!

Several golden lights suddenly came crashing through the few tall windows and scared the creatures away and even more pushed us back a few yards from the demon and the dark shadows, the lights covered us and forced us into a circle.

As I looked closer at the lights I saw the faces of Mara, Sariah and Brittany covering us. They weren't the only ones; Mother, Father, our siblings, Alick's sisters and mother, and Alice's mother and her sister I believe were covering and shielding us as well. Bruce, Greylen, Bryson, Alick's father, Alice's father, and several of my kinsmen were fighting off the shadows.

"Keep your head down, Jo!" I faintly heard Mara shout over the noise of screams, rushing wind, and explosions. Father's hand shot out and pushed my head down so as not to witness what was happening and to protect me from the sight of the shadows that could hurt or possibly kill me, and besides, their light was starting to give me a headache.

But I also knew what was happening.

The stolen soles of those who had been taken too early and kidnapped from their peaceful rest had turned against their master and his evil shadows. They were finishing what we had started and could not accomplish without their supernatural and spiritual help.

Alick wrapped an arm around me and pulled me closer, he placed his other arm around Alice, Tarrant placed an arm around me and Alice, she and I followed suite until we all had our arms around each other.

After a deafening explosion of light and sound everything around us disappeared. The dark throne room, the shadows the demon's body, the spirits, all of it. We were left with only our armor, battle regalia, our memories, and the literal wounds we had sustained.

We were hesitant to look around us, but when we did we discovered the world to be white and cold, the air felt thin, like we were high in the sky or on the top of a mountain. Fresh snow blanketed the ground and trees with a heavy layer of white. We stood quickly and looked around, clouds formed as we breathed heavily, our hearts still raced from our adrenaline high and Alice shook uncontrollably from cold, fear, and of course the adrenaline.

"Where are we?" Alice asked in awe, staring at the falling snow.

I wrapped my arm around her, I needed support right now, my back ached from the wounds and to tell the truth, I was still a little scared of what had happened and of what was about to happen, and she needed some heat, armor can be freezing!

I took my chance to survey each of them for damage, I sighed in relief when I saw that Alick's arm had really been healed and the wound was no more. Tarrant got away with a few gashes that would likely leave scars on his chest, a few cuts on his face, and he was likely covered in bruises. Alice had a few cuts, her scalp was likely going to give her a migraine, she had a few scratches on her arms, face, and legs, some of the metal when it was cut and dented had bruised and sliced her skin, she's need those taken care of as well.

"We're in a valley in the mountains between the Outlands and Marmoreal." Alick said confidently.

"How do you know?" Alice raised her eye brows at him and stayed close to me for warmth.

"The Queen's guards come here to train near the end of the falling leaf season. One such time when I was a young boy it snowed here, it looked exactly like this. Plus just down there is the Foxconn river. We went camping there one summer; I believe it was the same summer that Tarrant set himself on fire." Alick smirked. Try as I might, I couldn't hold in my laughter as he pouted and stuck his tongue out at Alick, but after a few moments he laughed as well.

"I'll tell you later," I whispered to Alice who didn't understand the joke or story.

Alick pointed to the North, "The White Queen's castle is just north of here, just over Kings B-9 Mountain."

"Well then, let's go and pray you are right, which you usually are when it comes to Marmoreal." Tarrant said decisively and let Alick take the lead.

Alice-

True to what Alick said, as soon as we made it over Kings B-9 Mountain, the white queen's castle stood proudly in all its winter and white glory.

"It's not much farther now, I promise." Alick said as he helped me over a small hill of snow.

My body ached and the cold really wasn't helping. I was ready to collapse right here and right now. Some how I managed to survive the mile and a half walk to the queen's castle though. At times when I felt too weary to go on I suddenly felt like some one was holding me up and supporting me and carrying me even.

I wasn't surprised that no one recognized us when we arrived at the gate. "Who goes there that wishes to enter the White Queen's castle?" A white rook chess piece said from a watch out tower.

"Alick Calder the White Knight, Alice the White Champion, Tarrant Hightopp the Mad Hatter, and Johanna the Royal Court Composer!" Alick shouted up.

There were dozens of calls for the gates to be open and for the queen to be alerted of our arrival before the gates opened and we were ushered in. The queen came to us and immediately began gushing over us.

"Alice, Tarrant, and Johanna you're alright! And Alick you're alive! Quickly come inside and warm yourselves, you must be freezing! I'll have a room for Johanna prepared immediately and your rooms warmed immediately." She said leading us inside as she did.

"That is unnecessary your majesty," She stared at Alick and stopped walking.

"It's a long story," Johanna whispered and lifted her left hand to reveal the simple gold band.

Mirana nodded, and led us to her personal chambers. A warm fire was crackling and oh how I wished for nothing more than to fall asleep in one of the chairs by it.

Tarrant stood me in front of him and started to help me take the armor off and Johanna helped Alick. Once our armor was removed we stood in our underclothes, worn beneath our armor, and waited for the Queen to return with some fresh clothes.

She reentered with fresh nightwear and we did not hesitate in changing from our freezing armor and clan attire into the warm clothes. By that time there was no light outside and the only light in the queen's chamber was the light from the warm fire.

"I believe that whatever you have been through can wait until morning. Your rooms are warmed and waiting for you. I'll expect the full story from each of you tomorrow morning." Mirana said and allowed two maids to lead us to our rooms.

"See you two in the morning!" I said as Alick and Johanna were lead to a different hall.

Once in our rooms and alone Tarrant held me tightly from behind. "I love you Alice," He whispered from behind me and lightly kissed my cheek.

"I love you too, my wonderful mad man, my terrific Tarrant."

**AN: Is this the end of the adventure? Maybe! Review and continue reading to find out! There are a few surprises in the next chapter(s) waiting for you! Some beginning with 'T', most with 'H', some with'C', some with 'I', some with 'E', some with 'A', and one beginning with 'L'!**

**If you can guess that I will do a request story for you, one chapter, but only for the first to guess.**


	24. Family

Tarrant-

We were rudely awakened from our deep slumber by some one knocking on the door. Grumbling I stood on the cold floor and grabbed a robe, after all I wasn't going to show these scars to any one but my Alice.

I opened the door and there stood a pawn guard. "Tarrant Hightopp, you and Alice Kingsleigh are requested to come to the Throne room immediately, there is something urgent her Majesty whishes to see you about, it is important."

I called after him as he was walking away, "Alice is my wife now, Alice Hightopp." The guard nodded and continued down the hall.

I woke Alice and we dressed in clothes that had been put away while we were with the Queen last night and moved to the throne room. On our way we saw Johanna and Alick running, of course that was to be expected, Alick was supposed to be the head of the guard. When the Queen said something was urgent and important and requested his presence he was out of the room faster than Chess when a fight broke out.

I grabbed Alice's hand and together we ran to catch up with them. When we entered the throne room they gave a sudden stop, causing us to run into them and end with all four of us on the pristine white ground.

"Get off, help! I'm being crushed by a mountain and two hills!" Johanna shouted from beneath us. I got off and helped Alice to her feet. Johanna jumped off and brushed off her skirts.

"Your Majesty may I know just what so urgent that is…" Alick trailed off quiet uncharacteristically.

Curiosity peaked by this, I looked up from my dusting off and found myself frozen as well. From my side I heard Alice gasp audibly.

Before us stood our parents, all six of them, Alick's sisters, my deceased siblings and aunts and uncles, but the one that caught my most attention was a little bundle with golden hair and a single black streak, big brown puppy eyes that stared at me. The infant laughed in delight and reached for me, my father struggled to hold her as she tried to escape his grasp.

She was almost a mirror image of Grandmother Rosa! I couldn't tear my gaze away from them. That is until my staring was interrupted by mother.

"Os meus queridos fillos! Os meus fillos, miñas fillas, está vivo e ben," She cried and ran to us. She hugged me tightly and kissed my cheek, then Johanna, then Alice, and then Alick.

That seemed like enough of an ice breaker that everyone else moved forward and greeted us as well.

"But, but how is this possible? You were dead! All of you!" I stuttered.

Malise jumped on Johanna and hugged her tightly, I smiled to see my two sisters embracing yet again. She then ran to me and tackled me. It was so unexpected I found myself falling to the ground. We stood up together and embraced properly, or as proper as things are in Underland.

We were surrounded by family, a large portion of the Hightopp Clan, much of the Calder Clan, and Alice's parents, even little Terressa who died at birth was here, younger than we'd last seen her but still she was here! It was becoming over whelming.

I suddenly found perhaps ten sets of arms around me, my legs having given out.

"My son, I know this is overwhelming, but please remain on your feet long enough for us to explain." My Father laughed.

"Then we shall have to do it elsewhere, the Queen surely has business to attend to," Alick said and placed his arm on Johanna.

"I know somewhere we can talk!" Johanna exclaimed and ran to the doors. "Oh wait, I need you guys… oops!" she said blushing as she realized she'd almost left us behind.

I rolled my eyes and followed her with the others. She led us to the Witzend Gardens and took a seat on a bench. The rest of us did as well; we sat there awkwardly waiting for our family to start.

"Well, as you know Johanna accidently made a deal with that devil," Arthur started, pronouncing her name as you would in the Outlands with the 'Y' sound rather than the 'J' at the beginning. "Fortunately there was a portion of the deal made which guaranteed the return of the Hightopp Clan; clan of course in the Outlands refers to all family, which he had stolen."

"Something we, none of us really, did not count on," Charles said from the bench he shared with Helen, "Was the binding. We did not think that being that Tarrant and Johanna are fully Outlandish and Alick is half the families would then be combined. After we fought the demons that made up the Balal Shinar we were free and able to escape."

"Because most of our deaths had been forced, the moment we stepped on to the soil of Underland we regained our bodies. Those that wanted to return to their peaceful rest did not return with us. Terressa was always a spirit, even when she was in a physical world, so when she took her first step onto this lands soil she was placed in the body that was meant to be her's. And now we are all together again!" Father exclaimed happily.

"Wait a minute, what about Grandfather, Uncle James, and Alistair?" I asked as it hit me.

"They were never dead, they are perhaps scattered somewhere in Underland." To my surprise Alice was the one who answered. "The Red Queen had dolls of them; she said they were still alive." Johanna nodded her agreement.

"I can confirm that, I saw them before I was attacked by the Red Queen's pet in her tent."

So then, almost the entire Hightopp Clan had returned to Underland, along with the Calder clan, and the missing royal family.

**AN: One more chapter guys! Then maybe a bonus chapter just for you! *points at reader***

**Thackery: There's no one there!**

**Me: Don't ruin it!**

**Tarrant: Well you've certainly dragged this out long enough, what else must we do?**

**Me: You'll see! *evil laugh***

**Alice: I'm suddenly very frightened.**

**Me: By the way, thank you to my awesome readers who have stuck with this and put up with my and my insanity until now! I do ask you to review and tell me what you think. After this book I will finish "For Family" and then maybe finish another, I may even just start a whole new book for a while.**

**All cast and crew/characters in story: Thank you! Have a happy New Year and a good life!**

**Tarrant/Mally/Thackery: And have a great tea time!**


	25. Royal Coronation

Royal Coronation, abridged from the journals of Queen Alice, King Tarrant, Duchess/Lady Johanna, and Duke/Lord Alick.

Four Years Later-

Alice stared at her reflection in the mirror as she placed the necklace around her throat and tried for the clasp. It slipped from her fingers several times, she growled angrily in frustration.

"Alice my love, do you need some help?" Although Alices were normally stubborn creatures she decided to relent for once and allowed her husband to hook the clasp behind her neck. He then wrapped his arms around her waist and nuzzled her neck.

"Your big day," He whispered and kissed her cheek.

"_Our_ big day," she corrected. Tarrant shrugged.

"Yes my Queen, but may I say, you are the one of royal descent here not me. In fact if it weren't for the fact that we were not bound before we returned the most I would ever be for you would be a male concubine or Queen's lover. Not that I wouldn't do so if it was that case but I'd much rather have you for myself, I don't mean to be selfish but when you are concerned," Alice touched his cheek and kissed him soundly.

"You'll always have me, no matter what. Together we will rule our lands." She whispered. Tarrant hummed and relaxed.

"Alice the Blue Queen and ruler of the Outlands, Witzend, and Iplam and the White Champion," He whispered against her skin.

"Tarrant Hightopp, lord of the Hightopp clan and the Blue King, ruler of the Outlands, Witzend, and Iplam," She countered. Tarrant smiled against her pale skin.

A knock sounded on the door, "Yes," Alice called, "You may enter," She doubted she'd ever get used to having this much authority. Alick entered dressed in blue and white, his sword at his side.

"Your highnesses, they are ready for you." He said simply and left.

Some how after a full day of debate – full day debates were rather rare in Underland you know - it was decided that Alick's cousin of the Greenwich Clan would take over the guardianship of the White Queen and her descendants while the Calder Clan would protect the Blue Throne. However, in the lands ruled by the Blue Queen they would be known and Duke and Duchess – something Johanna did not entirely like - but in the lands ruled by the White Queen they would return to their original tittles of Lord and Lady. This arrangement seemed to satisfy every one so there was little objection.

Tarrant took Alice's hand, "Are you ready?" Alice nodded nervously as he led her out of their room and to the main hall. Alick was waiting for them, ready to escort them.

"We've come a long way from the misfits we were, haven't we Tarrant?" Tarrant nodded his agreement. Alick opened the doors and allowed the couple to go ahead of him.

The White Queen, her fiancé, the Hightopps, the Calders, and various rulers from different kingdoms were present. Johanna sat in the second row, an overly active three year old Ceilidh struggling to get out of her mother's arms and to her father, next to their parents. Five year old Terressa sat in her mothers lap clapping in delight when she saw her brother. Tarrant winked at his sister as he entered the room.

Every one stood and bowed or curtsied to show respect to the future royals. As soon as they were onto the raised platform the assembly sat and Alick stood off to Alice's right. Charles walked to them with a wide smile on his face, Absolem was on his shoulder, and although it seemed like a good idea earlier and may have been a bad idea it didn't turn out as such as the Tweedles held two pillows with the crowns on. Perhaps this was some how related to the fact that Alick had told them that if they were to drop the crowns and start fighting he would immediately see to it that they would not receive any sweets.

Charles stood in front of Alice, "Alice Kingsleigh, you are of royal descent, there for this crown in your birthright. Do you accept it and all the challenges and responsibilities that come with it?" Alice nodded and swallowed.

"Muchness Alice," she mentally reminded herself. Charles then walked to Tarrant.

"Tarrant Hightopp, do you agree to remain by Alice's side and remain faithful to her and to support her at all times?" the Hatter swallowed under the intense gaze of his father-in-law.

"Yes," he said, it hadn't sounded right it was high pitched and rather feminine. He cleared his throat and tried again, "Yes, I do." Much better!

Charles waved the Tweedles over and removed Alice's tiara and affectionately replaced it with the blue and gold crown from Tweedledum on Alice's golden curls. He then took the blue and gold crown from Tweedledum and placed it on the combed and tied back hair of Tarrant, who felt rather lost without his hat.

"Then rise and be known as the Queen Alice and King Tarrant of the Blue Throne!" The assembly again stood and began to shout in chorus.

"Hail Queen Alice, Hail King Tarrant! Long live the Blue blood line!"

So the adventure was finally over… Perhaps…

Ali-

I thumbed through the book Alice had told me of and smiled at what I saw. Stuck in one page was a photograph, black and white but every person was labeled and a small – rather large should I say – pedigree chart was drawn on the back explaining how they were all related. But what was even better was the last journal entry.

"My dear friend Ali, thank you for your help in returning us to where we belong. I asked McTwisp to retrieve this journal from my home and bring it to me that I may write a final entry just for you and have it placed here. You may notice the picture has only four generations and yet the pedigree chart has at least ten generations of both Hightopp and Calder. I do hope this helps you, our thanks are forever your's Ali. I wish you luck.

Her Majesty Alice, The Blue Queen


	26. Bonus Chapter

**AN: Okay so I was originally not intending to do this bonus chapter, but I decided that I could not resist an did it any way. This may just have been a set up for a third book though, *sigh* Oh well, I love writing!**

The Blue Queen and her closest family members walked in the gardens of the Blue Castle. The adults chattered and admired the flowers, the Blue Queen and the eldest of the Duchesses fanned themselves furiously in their attempts to cool down from the heat.

Their parents had been wise in choosing to sit in their seats under the shade instead of out in the sun. The children seemed unaffected as they ran along the cobblestone paths, the three of them, Ceilidh, Terressa, and Althea, ran through the gardens, playing a game they had named, "I see, I see!"

They had to avoid each other and if one of them was seen by the other, the one seeing them would shout at them and the person caught would be it.

Terressa hid behind a maze like wall and slowly backed up and around the corner.

"I see, I see Terressa," Ceilidh shouted, "Terressa is it!" Terressa turned around and faced her niece, younger by two years. Ceilidh screamed and ran away from her and around the corner.

It was easy for Ceilidh to lose her aunt; after all she was nowhere near as fast. She ran until she came to a large clearing, oddly enough, there was a large room, full of mirrors inside. Ceilidh thought this would be an excellent place to hide and snuck in.

The room was full of mirrors all around her, but none were as big as the one at the very end. Ceilidh could have sworn that she heard something whispering. Curious, she walked closer to the large glass. The whispering seemed to grow louder.

"Come to me, come to me child of the seal. Come to me, you have a destiny to full fill with your cousin and aunt. Come to me; come quickly before they discover you! Come to me little Princess." The voice whispered to her.

She stepped closer and stopped right in front of the glass. "Who are you?"

The voice seemed to laugh, "I am everywhere and nowhere. I decide whether you live or die. I can change the fates. I can protect or abandon you. What am I?"

Ceilidh thought for a moment, "You sound like the air, but I don't think you are. How can you protect or abandon me?"

"I'll show you, just touch the glass." Ceilidh stretched out her hand and could nearly feel the humming of the glass. "Quickly, someone is coming! Touch the glass!" Ceilidh hesitated. What would her mother say, "TOUCH IT NOW!" The voice seemed to scream in her ears. Ceilidh reached out and nearly touched the glass but suddenly stopped she felt a strong hand on her shoulder.

"Daddy," she smiled. Alick stood with his jaw set and his head held high. Ceilidh frowned; getting the feeling she had done something wrong.

"Ceilidh," he said and knelt to look at her at eye level. "What are you doing in here? Why aren't you playing with your cousin and aunt?"

Ceilidh shrugged and looked at the ground, "I came in here to hide from Terressa, and she's it. Then the glass started to call to me, it told me to touch it."

Alick stiffened and his eye brows creased. "What else did the glass say?"

Ceilidh shrugged again, "It called me child of the seal. It said I have a destiny to full fill with Althea and Terressa."

Alick suddenly pulled Ceilidh into a tight hug. "Promise me that you'll never come in here again without an adult. Don't ever touch the glass either. It's dangerous and you shouldn't be in here, understand?" Ceilidh nodded.

"Yes papa, I promise." She said and walked with her father out of the large room of mirrors.

Later that night Ceilidh lay in her bed, unable to sleep. She had barely stopped thinking of the mirror since earlier that day. She clutched her stuffed white rabbit tightly as she thought to herself. "What harm could come from touching that mirror? Father said not to go in their without a grown up, but in sounded like there was one already in, so what's so wrong with going in there again? If I touch the glass and nothing happens then nothing will go wrong, and if something does, there is an adult. So why can't I go in?" her mind was made up.

Ceilidh got out of her bed, gripping her rabbit tightly and left her room. She walked by her parents room, hearing her father snore softly. She opened the door and looked inside. Her father had his face buried in her mother's neck and she was hugging him tightly. Assured that they wouldn't wake while she was gone she shut the door and left.

The night outside was cool, but to Ceilidh it seemed to grow colder with every step she took towards the hall of mirrors. She entered the room and heard the large mirror whisper with a sound of thick satisfaction, "Welcome back little Princess. Come, touch the looking glass." Its voice invited. Ceilidh stepped closer to the mirror and clutched her rabbit tightly.

"But Daddy said not to touch the looking glass, he said it was dangerous." She said to the glass.

"But your father doesn't know that correct? He's never touched the looking glass. Come little Princess, come and meet me." The voice beckoned, sounding desperate.

"I think I'll listen to my Daddy. He's a knight and knows what he's saying. I'm starting to think I shouldn't have come here in the first place." She said and spun around, her hair whipping back as she turned. Something suddenly tugged on her hair and pulled her back with it.

Ceilidh whimpered and looked behind her, dropping her rabbit on the floor. Her hair was caught in the looking glass. Ceilidh tugged on her hair, trying to free herself from the glass. The mirror seemed to screech in delight.

"You've touched it, you've touched it!" Ceilidh whimpered and tugged on her hair.

"But I don't want to go! Mummy, Daddy!" She screamed loudly as the glass began pulling her in. In a matter of minutes, Ceilidh Calder had disappeared from Underland completely.


End file.
